THE 2021 Unibet Premier League Darts commences on Monday April 5th, and it does so with a tint of trepidation in the air. I don’t mean about the lack of fans or the latest start to a campaign in a calendar year since it began in 2005. You look at the field of players and you have a distinct feeling that this is without doubt, the most open Unibet PL that has ever been assembled in the tournament's history.
Of course you have favourites, people who will no doubt win more games than they lose, but you also have players who are mystifyingly enigmatic in their form, which makes them almost impossible to predict. One night they will look unstoppable, the next looking like they forgot how to play when they woke up, but that’s why we love this up and coming Unibet Premier League.
So many stories, so little time, so let us get our facts on the table. Five nights to start the league, see where you stand as a player and then a few days later you get another cluster of matches to position yourself before the inevitable elimination night called Judgement Night.
As well as the obvious punters looking at who could win the title, there will also be the glass is half empty crew looking at which two players will fall out of the field for the action in May. To say this is quite complex is an understatement, so let’s look at the players one by one, and what the odds are for their survival and possible crowning glory come Play-offs night on May 28th.
Gerwyn Price – The World Champion and World number 1 has never made the play-offs in his previous 3 attempts in Unibet Premier League darts. Just let that sink in for a second.
So, with a recent ranking title this year in the bag, plus that World Crown, he should go down as the favourite shouldn’t he? However, he isn’t, and that has to be down to previous struggles in this format. Do I think this event suits Price? I don’t, but do I think it’s time for him to make another step up? Yes. We all know he didn’t like The World Grand Prix, but he went and won that in 2020, so with this second biggest financial prize in his sights over the next two months, I think Price will gun for this and not hold back.
Odds to win the title (excluding playoffs) – 5/2
Odds to be eliminated at Judgement Night – 50/1
Prediction – Top 4
Michael Van Gerwen – The 5-time Unibet Premier League winner is keeping us guessing in 2021. He is NOT playing poorly by any means, but he is NOT winning titles. A somewhat puzzling decision not to play in the recent Super Series 2 events in Milton Keynes mystified a lot of people, and when he plays on April 5th against debutant Dimitri Van Den Bergh, we have no clue what sharpness he will possess after a month off. Maybe it's good that he got Dimitri first, but I want Michael to come out and breathe fire from the off to prove that he is still the best player on this planet, and more so in a format he excels in. After a 6th place finish last year, he will want redemption.
Odds to win the title (excluding playoffs) – 9/4
Odds to be eliminated at Judgement Night – 66/1
Prediction – League phase number 1 but not title winner overall
Peter Wright – It has been an up and down year for Snakebite already, but after a recent dominant ranking title win at Players Championship 8, he will feel chipper about coming into this campaign. He has already said that he has days where he knows that nobody can beat him, and if he comes into this with that mentality, he will win this league based on what I know about him. I am going to stick my neck out and say he will win it, but he has to be consistent and firing from the off, especially against an in form Jonny Clayton on night 1.
Odds to win the title (excluding playoffs) – 5/1
Odds to be eliminated at Judgement Night – 28/1
Prediction – Title winner
Rob Cross – When I mentioned enigmatic earlier in the preview, this is who I was talking about. Rob knows he is a little fortunate to be in this field, and that the clock is ticking on his high ranking in the world, so something needs to click. There is nowhere to hide with this strong field of players, and especially with the first 5 games he has, if he is on 6 points come the second batch of matches, he will feel as strong as Thor. Technically I think he has improved a little this season already and the form is close, but now for the acid test to see where he stands with the elite once more. Stand up Rob, it’s time to be counted. If he staves off elimination, its a good start to 2021 for him I feel.
Odds to win the title (excluding playoffs) – 40/1
Odds to be eliminated on Judgement Night – Evens
Prediction – Between places 5 & 8 in the standings
Nathan Aspinall – Can last years finalist make another appearance there? I sincerely hope so. As one of Nathans biggest supporters I would honestly say that he has had an OK start to the season and has been a player grafting for wins when last year they were coming a little easier. If he is prepared to dig deep and really believes in the newer version of the darts he used to use, he can aspire to great things again and challenge, but I feel it has become a harder task for him now after not winning a title in a 12-month spell. Snap that drought soon, or put a string of wins together here and anything is possible with The Asp. Confidence is key!
Odds to win the title (excluding playoffs) – 33/1
Odds to be eliminated on Judgement Night – 5/4
Prediction – Between places 5 & 8 in the standings
Glen Durrant – The reigning Unibet Premier League champion has obviously had a tough few months, with a Covid-19 illness, subsequent drop in form and dip in confidence but don’t forget how much he is prepared to scrap for a title he currently owns. He was a master at doing that in The BDO and will not let this go without a fight.
The obvious facts have to be addressed though and he will have to find a good 5-7 points on his seasonal average if he is to challenge for the play-offs again. Do I think he can do it? Absolutely. Do I think he will? Currently I do not think so, but I’d love to see a giant microphone dropping performance on night 1 to put us all in our place. He will need lots of them to stave off elimination as I feel he is probably the right favourite for that based on 2021 so far.
Odds to retain the title (excluding playoffs) – 66/1
Odds to be eliminated on Judgement Night – 1/2
Prediction – Elimination
Gary Anderson – Lets keep this one short and sweet. Everyone knows the key to Andersons success in this League, and thats how much he wants it. Only Gary knows how much he wants it, and if he does, he could definitely pick up a 3rd PL crown. He made the World Final and World Matchplay final in the last 12 months standing on his head so imagine if he really tried. He is the Ronnie O’Sullivan of darts and he will cause nightmares for his opponents at times, but as for the whole thing, we just don’t know how he will be. I am going for close to the playoffs but no place.
Odds to win a 3rd Unibet Premier League title (excluding playoffs) – 11/1
Odds to be eliminated on Judgement Night – 5/1
Prediction – Between places 5 & 8 in the standings
Jose De Sousa – The not so well calculating Portuguese ace will be a thorn in the side of many when he graces this event for the first time. His 180 hitting is borderline ridiculous at times and that alone should see him fine in some encounters, but his inability to feel the same pressure as others makes him the ideal spoiler. I would be surprised to see him in the top 4 come May, but I would be equally surprised to see the 2020 Grand Slam of Darts champion in the bottom 2. I think he is too strong for that predicament right now. I am going for the stellar debut as opposed to the Aspinall type bombshell first year.
Odds to win the title – 14/1
Odds to be eliminated – 9/2
Prediction – Between places 5 & 8 in the standings
Dimitri Van den Bergh – Of all the players in this new look field, maybe there are more questions about the 2020 World Matchplay champion than anyone. Is his recently operated knee 100%? Is his form coming into this debut try with the cream of the crop enough to contend? Will he continue to befuddle us by playing like a star on stage and like a mid-table player on tour?
Talking of enigmatic earlier, this is another contender. He has previous league experience as a challenger and looked good in front of the crowds, and then in front of no-one at a couple of huge events last year, but it has to be said, nobody knows where DVdB’s form is at. It’s a huge black hole when looking for information and we will know more come Monday v MVG. And, remember his ONLY title to date in The PDC, at senior level, was last year's Matchplay.
Odds to win the title (excluding playoffs) – 16/1
Odds to be eliminated on Judgement Night – 3/1
Prediction – Elimination
Jonny Clayton – The form horse for 2021 so far, or should I say the form ferret, looks stable, confident, capable and hungry. Like everyone is saying, “nobody wants to play JC right now,” and Peter Wright has the unenviable task on opening night. The way Clayton has handled becoming a TV title winner this year and how he has continuously motored on with his sometimes destructive ways on the dartboard, he makes you want to back him for more honours in future. I distinctly think with his level of play as it is, he will have a huge chance of making the top 4 come May, and will have every chance of lifting this title to add to his 2021 Masters which got him into this field.
Odds to win the title (excluding playoffs) – 6/1
Odds to be eliminated on Judgement Night – 14/1
Prediction – Top 4
