Watch Premier League Darts live on Sky Sports Action from 7pm on Thursday
Thursday 12 March 2020 22:52, UK
Premier League Darts is back on our screens this Thursday night, live on Sky Sports Action. Stephen Bunting is in action against former world champion Rob Cross. Wayne Mardle looks into his crystal ball...
The meeting between Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price headlines the visit to Liverpool, where Merseyside's Stephen Bunting returns to the Premier League to take on Rob Cross.
Michael Smith tackles Peter Wright, while table-topper Glen Durrant faces rock bottom Daryl Gurney. Gary Anderson rounds off the night against Nathan Aspinall.
Wayne runs the rule over five titanic tungsten contests, live on Sky Sports Action from 7pm.
They've got kind of history, even recently, where Smith had darts to beat Wright in the Masters final. Peter normally gets the better of Smith. They've drawn twice in the Premier League before and in the last six meetings there has been two wins each and two draws, so there is really nothing between these two.
Wright is always that little bit more consistent, isn't he? Or he seems that little bit more consistent in the way he plays.
Last week he was incredible against Nathan Aspinall with a 110 average and that really was the whole duration of those 10 legs. He's now 50-years-old. There's a lot going right for Peter.
Smith's doing a lot right now. I like what he's doing and I think he looks good even though he's not winning. He's had the nine-darter, there was a 105 average against Jonny Clayton, and he beat Michael van Gerwen last week. There's a lot to be excited about for him.
My guess is Wright to win purely because I just think he's a slightly more reliable type. That is the only reason.
Wayne's score prediction: Wright to win 7-5
This is top vs bottom with Gurney not having won a Premier League game, while Durrant beat Gurney in the world championship.
Durrant was probably the best I think I've ever seen from him last week. It's a short format, but he didn't give Gerwyn Price any hope whatsoever. He was relentless and was as solid as can be. I thought he was stunning, and he blamed me!
He won't be blaming me this week because I predict he's going to win, so we might have to keep that to ourselves because I don't want to not do him a favour.
Predictions back in my day were always said on the show so you'd hear someone and say 'yeah, I heard ya, you idiot. I'll prove you wrong'. Now, they're getting really irate that you actually think that they won't win a game. They've got to be slightly stronger than that. Durrant might have been having a little poke, but don't listen to me, that's not the way forward. Mrs M will tell you that!
Whilst Gurney had a great weekend, it was a real good pick-me-up, but even the game he lost against Michael van Gerwen he seemed to have got over the bad spell he was in. But unfortunately for him, it came back in the semi-final.
I just think Durrant is way more reliable than Gurney right now. If they're both playing well then Gurney wins for me, but Gurney is not playing anywhere near the top of his game.
Wayne's score prediction: Durrant to win 7-5
This could be the match of any stage, couldn't it? No matter what the event. These are the best two players on the planet.
It seems to be whoever beats Van Gerwen makes someone else the best player. If Liverpool get beat by Aston Villa, it doesn't mean that Villa are the best team in the Premier League. I don't get it! Van Gerwen has always been the player to beat.
It will be a great game, a high standard. They've drawn before in the Premier League, but not this time.
People are now saying he's the world best player again. Well, he was before he won the UK Open. He's just confirmed it.
Price and Van Gerwen have been going at it for the last seven, eight occasions now. There's not been a lot between them at all but Van Gerwen gets the better of Price more often than not. And Price just again faltered in that UK Open final.
It's all about doing it under pressure. It's all about doing it when your opponent let's you in. Van Gerwen did and I think this will be the same again. It will be a great game and a high standard. They've drawn before in the Premier League, but not this time.
Wayne's score prediction: Van Gerwen to win 7-5
Stephen finished eighth in 2015. This is a good place to make his comeback. He knows Rob really well, they've got the same management team.
He's shown forms of life, reaching a couple of big quarter-finals last year and was a finalist on the European Tour. There are things for Stephen to be excited about. Three or four years ago, he didn't know where to turn. But when he's on, he's a difficult customer.
Even though Cross is not playing anywhere near his best he seems to find something from somewhere. He will find a way to win this.
Wayne's score prediction: Cross to win 7-5
I cannot work out Gary Anderson. He changed his darts two or three weeks ago and I said at the time I don't think they're working for him.
Gary told me 'my darts are fine, it's the person who's throwing them'. During the UK Open, he changed them, so I'm now thinking it was the darts. They were going in all sorts of angles.
He looked a lot more comfortable with the darts he used in the UK Open. I don't think he will win this match against Aspinall, who is playing better than Gary.
Nathan has just gone above Gary in the rankings. Gary now ranked No 8 in the PDC rankings - he's not been there for a while.
He was the first to lose to a Challenger last week. Gary lacked so much composure in the business end of the game against Luke Humphries. It's hard to predict he's going to play well and win this.
Wayne's score prediction: Aspinall to win 7-5
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Wayne Mardle was speaking to Sky Sports' Raz Mirza. Coverage of the Premier League continues on Thursday, March 12 from M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool at 7pm on Sky Sports Action with Rob Cross taking on local hero Stephen Bunting. Don't forget, the Premier League is on every Thursday all the way through until the Play-Offs in London on May 21.
