Price v Wright
There’s a dramatic night in store at the First Direct Arena in Leeds tonight as every game has a bearing on how the standings will finish.
Gerwyn Price could still make the playoffs, Peter Wright can’t.
Price is sixth on 16 points at the moment, he needs a win or a draw to have a hope of making it. He drew 7-7 last week with Daryl Gurney in a bad-tempered affair.
Snakebite’s been in a bit better form recently, despite being thrashed 8-1 by MVG last week. He played Van Gerwen again on the European Tour during the week and beat him though. His wife Jo hasn’t been well recently but she’s back by his side tonight so Peter could cause some problems here.
The draw is 10/3 here and I quite fancy that tonight.
Gurney v Smith
Daryl Gurney’s in fifth place and must better the results of Price and Mensur Suljovic to have a chance of qualifying for the next phase. He beat Michael Smith 7-5 when they met in Dublin earlier in the year.
He’s only outside the playoffs spots on leg-difference, so it’s a massive pressure match for him tongiht after the 7-7 draw last week.
It’s been a disappointing season for Smith so far, but he will have had a confidence boost after being named in England’s World Cup squad this week.
Still, I’ve to go for the man under pressure here, Daryl Gurney (7/5), to do a job, and him to win 8-6 is a huge 9/1.
Van Gerwen v Suljovic
It’s a fascinating match. Suljovic has had a tough time with his last two matches. He’s in fourth place but had Rob Cross last week, who averaged 102, played brilliantly and won 8-4, and now he runs into Michael van Gerwen!
He had had a 110.8 average last week against Peter Wright in an 8-1 romp, so I can’t see anything other than an MVG victory (2/7), and 8-4 sounds alright at 11/2.
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – APRIL 25: James Wade of England in action against Michael van Gerwen of the Netherlands during the 2019 Unibet Premier League Darts at Arena Birmingham on April 25, 2019 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Alex Burstow/Getty Images)
Wade v Cross
A massive game to close the night. With a victory, Rob Cross’ll finish top of the Premier League. Only two other men in the 14-year history of the Premier League have done that – Phil Taylor for the first eight years and MVG for the last six. It’d be a massive achievement, and there’s a £25,000 winners bonus as well.
Rob Cross is 10/11, but James Wade has a habit of winning these big matches, he’s 15/8, and the draw is 7/2. I’m fancying a really tight match here, but Rob Cross should come out on top to win the league stage of the competition, and an 8-6 scoreline stands out at 9/2.
Dave’s Best Bet
Gurney, MVG and Cross to win at 9/2
*All odds correct at time of posting
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