After dramatic, incredibly mixed week of fortunes in Cardiff, Premier League Darts action heads to the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham, with just three rounds of fixtures remaining.
Gary Anderson started the night with a surprise 7-1 slaughtering by Stephen Bunting, while Michael van Gerwen recorded the first 7-0 victory of the season when he obliterated James Wade – in what was the first to-nil scoreline since MVG beat Phil Taylor on the opening day of Premier League Darts 2014. However, by the end of the night, form was turned on its head as Anderson beat the Dutchman 7-5 in the final match.
In the night’s other fixtures, Barney maintained his return to form by beating Dave Chisnall 7-5, while Phil Taylor could only draw with Adrian Lewis.
It’s a double fixture week for Adrian Lewis, and it really couldn’t come at a more important time. After struggling in the early stages of the season and being on the verge of relegation, he has turned his form around and is now unbeaten in his last four fixtures, putting him on the verge of the play-offs.
However, he faces one of the most in-form players this season in Dave Chisnall, who sits in second place and could all-but secure his place in the play-offs with a victory here.
Verdict: Dave Chisnall to win – 13/8 at bet365
Three consecutive wins have shown that the reigning champion is definitely back to his best, but he’ll be up against it with Gary Anderson, who ended van Gerwen’s unbeaten run last week.
With Adrian Lewis to face in the last fixture of the night, Barney will force his way into the play-off positions if he wins both the night’s fixtures.
Verdict: Raymond van Barneveld to win – 5/2 at BetVictor
Stephen Bunting shocked the Cardiff crowd last week with a 7-1 battering of Gary Anderson and he’ll be eager to keep his play-off hopes alive with a victory over James Wade, who has picked up just one point from his last five matches.
Verdict: Stephen Bunting to win – 13/8 at BetVictor
In the night’s ‘big match’, MVG lines-up against a Phil Taylor that is really struggling for form.
Indeed, The Power has won just one of his last five and is in real threat of falling out of the play-off positions. However, he won’t face a tougher opponent than the young Dutchman who, despite finally losing his unbeaten record last week, remains three points clear at the top of the table.
Verdict: Michael van Gerwen to win – 10/11 at Paddy Power
Lewis and Barney line-up to make up their fixture deficit on the rest of the table.
Essentially, the winner of this match – subject to their earlier results – will put themselves in pole position for the play-offs with just two rounds of fixtures after Birmingham.
With the way Barney has been performing of late though, it’s hard to look past him.
Verdict: Raymond van Barneveld to win – 13/8 at 888sport
BET OF THE NIGHT: van Barneveld (v Anderson) and Bunting to both win – 8.17/1 at BetVictor
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