James Wade v Raymond van Barneveld
This is a great game to get Premier League Darts kicked off for 2019. I think the fans are very eager to see which Raymond van Barneveld shows up from the get go, and it will be interesting to see how crowd will react to James, considering his hostile receptions at Alexandra Palace during the World Championship in December.
It is a very hard match to predict, as we don't really know how match fit RVB is, but we do know that James is in form considering he made the final of The Masters event just a week ago. His form isn’t a massive guide, as most of the players in The Masters were a bit rusty and I fully expect some edgy darts in this contest. A lot of fans and experts think Raymond’s inclusion in this event is a reward for his service to the game, which is fair, but on form it isn’t, so he has a point to prove. I have to go for James in this one, purely on match form and James’s propensity to lift his game when he plays the Dutchman.
When you wake up and realise #PremierLeagueDarts is back #Unibet180 #LoveTheDarts pic.twitter.com/o3rDAlI1zu
— Unibet (@unibet) February 7, 2019
Gerwyn Price v Daryl Gurney
All of the darting chatter has been about Gezzy this past few weeks because of the record fine he received for his altercation with Gary Anderson at the Grand Slam, but now that is out of the way we can see what the Premier League reaction is from Gezzy the player. He has said that he may have to beat people with his “B” game and find a way not to react like he did previously, but I think that will be hard for him to initially adjust to. That is why I give Gurney, the Players Championship Finals winner in November, the edge in this game. Gurney will serenade the crowd with Neil Diamond, get them on side and play his own brand of subdued, focused stuff and, for me, get the result here. After they both made their debuts in the PL last time around, it was Gurney who settled better, and I feel he is the favourite for this one.
Gurney to have most 180s of the night – 5/1
Chris Dobey v Mensur Suljovic
Since the withdrawal of Gary Anderson through injury and the contenders idea has been laid down, I think we can all agree that, whether you’re a fan of it, or not, we all want to see Chris Dobey perform at Newcastle’s flagship arena. The audience will give him a rousing reception and I think he may feel a few nerves. However, I don't think there is any pressure on Chris, and the focus is firmly on the permanent players in the draw to get the points against the players who are just filling the hole of The Flying Scotsman.
Mensur was relegated from the PL last year at his first attempt, but he didn’t play poorly by any means, and since then he has improved yet again. I think Mensur is in prime nick to put in a good start to this year’s event and he will probably just steal this one, however a few Geordie renditions from the crowd won’t go without a smile and grin from both darters.
Match to have highest checkout of the night – 7/2
MVG v Michael Smith
This of course, is a rematch of the World Championship final which was won by MVG, but there were spots in that final that proved that Bully Boy can live with Mighty Mike when he is turning and burning. Smith is one of a very small crop of players who can compete with the three-time champ of the world, and in this format he has more chance of picking up the win. However, based on their displays in Milton Keynes last week in The Masters, I feel MVG has settled into the start of the season a lot quicker than Smith, and some languid throwing from Smith last week was a sign that maybe some hard work has to be done in practice.
Highest #PremierLeagueDarts average
2015 – 105.26 – MVG
2016 – 107.48 – MVG
2017 – 104.68 – MVG
2018 – 104.11 – MVGWhat a player#Unibet180 #LoveTheDarts pic.twitter.com/do1iOc53Za
— Unibet (@unibet) February 7, 2019
MVG, on paper, strolls this one for me, but I think there will be some ace accuracy in it from both players resulting in a Michael win. And now that my behind is off the fence, I am going for the Van Gerwen variety.
MVG to be King of the Oche (Win, Most 180s and highest checkout) – 3/1
Peter Wright v Rob Cross
Panic stations were being called for both of these players at the Worlds and subsequently in the off season. It's fair to say that the pressure in 2019 is firmly on both of these guys because of the ranking points they have to defend, and maybe the PL will provide some welcome respite from the rankings snakes and ladders, no pun intended.
Based on what we have seen in 2019 so far, Cross has still got work to do to grab his confidence by the scruff of the neck, but Wright looked much better a week ago at The Masters. A fresh, hungry looking Snakey is good to see, and the early exit from Ally Pally might have done him a favour. After using a setup last week which baffled the entire darting fraternity, who knows what he will use week in week out, but it's the look of Peter that is encouraging, and I am not talking about his clothes or his hair. He looked fresh, and if he feels it, he may just do the number on Cross here, who I feel is under more pressure than anyone in this Premier League.
UniBet of the night
It's always hard to back draws, but a couple of these look appealing, however I have to say that 6/4 for Wright to win is handy, and most 180’s on the night may just come from Gurney (5/1).
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