The 2020 Premier League is already shaping up to be one of the most closely-matched editions since the tournament began in 2005, with just two points separating top to eighth.
No player boasts a 100 per cent record after just three weeks of competition, while this season’s two debutants occupy top four places after adapting quickly to the elite round-robin event.
Nathan Aspinall over 2.5 180s @ 4/6
Aspinall underlined his Premier League calibre by defeating reigning champion Michael van Gerwen 7-5 in Cardiff last week to make it four points from six so far.
The world number eight would leapfrog Glen Durrant in the table with victory here and will look to step up his preparations for next week’s UK Open title defence in the best possible fashion.
Surprisingly, Durrant has the second lowest tournament average (94.82) of the nine-man field and will look to go through the gears against an opponent capable of beating the very best.
Aspinall has landed seven 180s so far, an average of just over two per game, and with this close-run contest favoured to go the distance, expect ‘The Asp’ to safely register at least three maximums.
Gary Anderson to win @ 6/5
Two of the five players locked on three points go head-to-head in their first televised meeting since the 2018 US Masters final as Gary Anderson takes on Rob Cross.
A change of darts appeared to backfire on Anderson last week as he went down 7-4 to Durrant to mark his first defeat of the campaign.
Prior to that, the World Cup of Darts winner had beaten Gurney and drawn with Peter Wright, as well as claiming a Players Championship title at the first time of asking.
Cross also suffered his first defeat of the tournament in Cardiff, averaging just 90 in a 7-5 loss to Wright, and has suffered three First Round exits in six ProTour events.
Should Anderson revert back to his tried and tested setup, he should have enough to see off ‘Voltage’ on current form and but last week’s blip behind him.
Michael Smith to hit the highest checkout @ 17/20
Northern Ireland’s Daryl Gurney makes the trip across the border in search of crucial points as he faces Masters finalist Michael Smith.
Smith sprung to life with a clinical display to thrash Welsh Challenger Jonny Clayton 7-1 last week as he averaged 105 to end a ten-match winless run in the Premier League.
Since then, he suffered successive First Round exits on the ProTour but will look to put those setbacks to one side and thrive on the big stage once again.
Smith has landed the highest checkout of the entire night for the past two weeks (140 and 167), while Gurney’s highest checkout so far is just 80.
Given Smith’s clutch finishing under pressure and Gurney’s struggle on the doubles, ‘Bully Boy’ looks the value bet to land the highest checkout in this one.
Michael van Gerwen win and most 180s @ EVS
Irish eyes will be smiling when William O’Connor steps out onto the Premier League stage for the first time to take on none other than defending champion Michael van Gerwen.
O’Connor has been rewarded for a landmark 2019 which saw him reach the World Cup of Darts final alongside Steve Lennon, as well as pick up a Players Championship title and reach the Quarter-Finals of the Players Championship Finals.
The world number 37 is aiming to become the first Contender/Challenger to beat a Premier League player, but the task does not come much harder than the world number one.
Van Gerwen was held to a draw by John Henderson in Aberdeen last year but will be determined not to drop points this time around as he looks to atone for last week’s rare slip-up.
For the first time since 2011, Van Gerwen has not claimed a title in the first two months of the season, but two ProTour finals and a tournament average of 102 in the Premier League suggest his best form may be just around the corner.
O’Connor will be roared on by a partisan, sell-out crowd at the 3Arena, but it’s difficult to envisage him taking anything from the green machine – who should win comfortably and land the most maximums in the process.
Peter Wright v Gerwyn Price - Over 11.5 total legs @ 11/10
Box office stars Wright and Price have developed a healthy rivalry of their own in recent months, stemming from a fiery Semi-Final show-down at the World Championship.
A dress rehearsal for this fixture saw the duo collide in Saturday’s Players Championship final, with Wright coming out on top 8-6 after a series of scintillating displays throughout the day, before Price took the title 24 hours later.
Price has become somewhat of a draw specialist in this competition and has been held to 6-6 stalemates in all three matches so far; don’t rule out that record being extended here.
Wright has also gone the distance in all three fixtures so far and with little to choose between the two in terms of rankings, form and league position, it’s hard to envisage a clear winner by more than two legs.