IT's darts, but not as we know it! The Unibet Premier League is back in full swing and while the fancy dress and top-notch crowd atmosphere may be absent the quality of darts, the drama and the intrigue has not failed to deliver. There's plenty to play for and Paul "The Asset" Nicholson has run the rule over the match-ups for Night 13 to deliver these tips:
After topping the table for a record period during the Covid-19 delay, Glen was under pressure to maintain his place at the PL pinnacle. It’s safe to assume most fans are impressed with the way he has handled top spot, as well as the way he played last week.
An undefeated week, including four wins from six, says that Glen is not only going to take some stopping in this match, but maybe in his quest to be the first player to stop MVG from getting another league phase bonus.
With a huge points tally, and a ridiculous leg difference, Glen can play with more freedom now and that is bad news for Smith, who grafted so hard on nights seven through 12. He has some success, but still gifted points to his rivals, especially when four went the way of The Asp against him.
If Bully Boy is going to be in position for the Top 4, he will need a blistering final furlong, and even though a win against Duzza would be a great way to begin that, I just can’t back against the Boro chucker.
Correct Score – Durrant to win 8-5 @ 13/2
Tip – Glen to win and have highest finish @ 39/20
Gurney deserves a lot of credit for surviving judgement night, and also for how he continues to plug away even though the players around him are taking all the glory and, ultimately, the points.
He isn’t going to make the Top 4, but he can still be a giant thorn in all of the players’ sides if he does what he did to Peter Wright on night 11, defying a monstrous performance from Snakey, and a nine-darter.
He has taken James Wade’s mantle of throwing the stats out of the window and playing for a result instead of an average, and he could cause Gary issues, but ONLY if he stays with him after 4-6 legs.
Gary has been guilty of not disposing of people early enough, but he is still in there with a chance of top as Duzza’s closest challenger on 15 points.
He looks good to me, and really hungry. The best compliment you can pay him is that he looks comfortable playing well once more and is full of smiles. Gary can’t take his foot off the accelerator now, and that’s why he’s the rightful favourite in this, especially with a two-day break in the locker. If Duzza wins the first match of the night, Gary simply must win too.
Correct Score – Anderson to win 8-5 @ 17/2
Tip – Anderson to win and have most 180’s @ 39/20
Peter Wright v Michael Van Gerwen
MVG was a man possessed in his last victory against Michael Smith. He brought the heat and the passion, and it worked. He looked the beast that we all expect, and that was missing most of last week. He can count himself fortunate to be third in the standings, but now is when he needs to be consistently beast-like because he is surrounded by wolves who will gladly be carnivorous in taking him out.
Wright will be wondering how he could play so well and come up with only 5 points in the six-day stretch. At times he looked imperious and let’s not forget that he could’ve had THREE nine-darters. He got one of them, but that is ancient history as the 6th placed world number two now must turn performances into points if he is to bridge the gap to the play-off places.
With six points separating six players in the standings, Peter has to make a statement in getting his tally up early in the week or he may come a cropper if he keeps losing matches he bosses at the wrong times.
Correct Score – MVG and Peter Wright to draw 7-7. I think they are very evenly matched at this point in time, and a draw is a good result for them both (perhaps) 33/10
Tip – Snakebite to own the 180’s (13/20) and don’t discount his chance at another 9-darter (50/1) as he hits more 180’s than anyone alive right now.
Gerwyn Price v Nathan Aspinall
Based on the way things have transpired for these two since they played each other on the opening night of last week’s six-day stretch, we could be in for a very different game. Price came in slightly cold and lacking adrenaline but has now found his mojo with wins over the elite in this league. He took out MVG, Ando and Wright and if you’re doing that, you are doing something very useful. He will definitely want to reverse the 7-4 loss to Nathan in this game which is first to eight.
Aspinall played consistently all week but maybe left a few points out there and will look to do to Price what he did to Michael Smith in the bubble last week.
I predicted a highly charged match last week and it didn’t materialise as they were finding their feet with no crowd. I DO NOT think that will be the case this time as we are reaching the thick end of the race and every exchange will be vital to stay in the Top 4 of the tightest PL in history. I predict a silly amount of 180’s in a narrow victory for Price.
Correct Score – Price to win 8-6 @ 13/2
Tip – Match to have a finish of over 120.5 @ 17/20
