Michael van Gerwen produced a scintillating performance to beat Gary Anderson with aplomb in last week's Premier League Darts action at Newcastle, and the reigning champion will look to build on that victory over the 'Flying Scotsman' on Thursday night, as the Premier League juggernaut ventures into Europe for the first time this year, as the action on the oche will light up the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, and van Gerwen will face Daryl Gurney on what should be another tremendous evening of entertaining action.
Michael Smith and Simon Whitlock have been the surprise packages in the early rounds of the Premier League, and both will line up in the first match of the night with a 100% record having notched up three wins from three matches, and both will fancy their chances of making it four wins from four, but one of the players' perfect record will have to go, and while 'Bully Boy' Smith will start favourite for the match, the 'Wizard' Whitlock will fancy continuing his fine form, in what should be a sensational opening tie in the German capital.
Austrian Mensur Suljovic is the only player of the ten competitors to not have recorded a single point in his opening three games, but he will like the thought of playing Gerywn Price in the second match of the night, as the Welshman has also found life in the Premier League difficult on his debut, and while that clash may not be one of the headline acts on Thursday night, it should be a relatively close contest, that could go right down to the wire.
van Gerwen produced a fine display to beat Anderson 7-3 last week, with both players averaging over 110, and 'Mighty Mike' will be hoping to emulate that red-hot form when he is third on the stage, and he will take on Daryl Gurney, who is still searching for his first win of the event, and has only managed to grab one draw in his opening three matches, and he could be set for more misery if van Gerwen emulates last week's performance.
World champion Rob Cross appears to be just finding his feet in the Premier League having started the competition slowly, but a win over Peter Wright last week should give him huge confidence going into a clash with Raymond van Barneveld in the penultimate night of the match, and Barney has one win, one draw and one loss to his name after three matches, and may find it tough against Cross, who has shown he can produce on the big stage.
The night's final match is arguably the most intriguing as Peter Wright, who ended last week's defeat to Cross in controversial circumstances, takes on Gary Anderson, and while the latter will be disappointed following his defeat to van Gerwen, he still played phenomenally well in that loss, and if he can average around the 110-mark again then he could be too hot to handle for Wright, who will be eager to bounce back from that loss to Cross in a cracking curtain-closer.
Unibet Premier League
Night Four Fixtures
Mercedes-Benz Arena, Berlin
Michael Smith v Simon Whitlock
Gerwyn Price v Mensur Suljovic
Michael van Gerwen v Daryl Gurney
Rob Cross v Raymond van Barneveld
Peter Wright v Gary Anderson
