Premier League Darts: Peter Wright looking to end Michael van Gerwen's winning run

Peter Wright will aim to ignite his Premier League campaign by halting Michael van Gerwen's nine-match winning run on Night Seven in Nottingham on Thursday.

Van Gerwen made Premier League history in Liverpool last week, becoming the first player to win three successive nights since the Premier League's nightly knockout format was introduced last year.

The Dutch ace followed up wins in Dublin and Exeter by claiming the spoils on Merseyside, beating Wright in the semi-finals en route to establishing an eight-point lead at the Premier League summit.

Wright celebrated his first two points in this year's roadshow with victory over Gerwyn Price at the M&S Bank Arena last week, surviving a late rally from the Welshman to triumph in a last-leg shoot-out.

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The 2017 runner-up is still six points adrift of the top four places ahead of Thursday's action at the Motorpoint Arena, although he hopes last week's exploits can provide the catalyst for a winning run.

"I've got the monkey off my back, so let's start winning now," Wright said. "I'm an old man now. I'm getting nearer 60! There is a lot more to come from me though.

"In a lot of Premier League games this year, I've hit a bad score in a leg and let my opponent in, or I've missed three darts at a double which has cost me the game.

"I would have been really gutted if I had lost to Gerwyn last week. I was gutted anyway with the way I performed. I shouldn't be missing six darts for the match, but I got over the line."

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Van Gerwen extended his record-breaking Premier League winning streak with a 6-4 success against Michael Smith in last week's showpiece, and the pair could renew their rivalry in the Night Seven semi-finals.

World Champion Smith will play Chris Dobey for the first time in this year's competition, with debutant Dobey eyeing a first win since his Night One glory in Belfast.

The Bedlington thrower comes into Nottingham on the back of five straight quarter-final defeats, despite posting ton-plus averages in three of those matches.

Only Van Gerwen boasts a higher tournament average than Dobey, and the Masters champion is confident that he will soon start reaping the rewards for his performances.

"I'm playing another good friend in Michael, and I'm really looking forward to that," said the 32-year-old, who is still relishing the Premier League experience.

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"I'm happy with my game. I keep saying to myself that results will turn in my favour soon, and it's only Night Seven, so I've got plenty of time.

"I don't enjoy getting beaten, but I'm not going to let this get me down because I'm playing well and I feel there's a turning point on the horizon.

"I'm in with the elite and I'm happy to be here, so as long as I'm playing some decent stuff, I'm happy."

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Thursday's quarter-final action will begin with a clash between Dimitri Van den Bergh and Nathan Aspinall, who has lost his two previous Premier League ties in Nottingham.

Aspinall occupies third spot heading into Night Seven, and the 2020 runner-up has enjoyed a strong start on his return to the Premier League fold, winning five of his six quarter-final tussles thus far.

However, Van den Bergh averaged over 105 to dispatch Aspinall on Night Three, and the Belgian knows that victory in Nottingham will see him close the gap on the Stockport star to just two points.

Elsewhere, World Cup of Darts partners Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price will collide in an all-Welsh affair, for the right to play Van den Bergh or Aspinall in the semi-finals.

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The pair suffered quarter-final defeats to Van Gerwen and Wright respectively in Liverpool last week, and both will be eyeing an instant response as they prepare to lock horns for the first time this season.

Clayton topped last year's league phase after claiming four nightly victories, although Price currently leads his compatriot by a solitary point, as he targets Play-Off qualification for the first time in five appearances.

2023 Premier League Fixtures

Night One - Thursday February 2
The SSE Arena, Belfast
Quarter-Finals
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-2 Jonny Clayton
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Michael Smith
Chris Dobey 6-3 Peter Wright
Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Gerwyn Price

Semi-Finals
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Chris Dobey 6-4 Nathan Aspinall

Final
Chris Dobey 6-5 Michael van Gerwen

Night Two - Thursday February 9
Cardiff International Arena
Quarter-Finals
Michael Smith 6-3 Jonny Clayton
Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Peter Wright
Gerwyn Price 6-5 Chris Dobey
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Dimitri Van den Bergh

Semi-Finals
Michael Smith 4-6 Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price 6-5 Michael van Gerwen

Final
Nathan Aspinall 3-6 Gerwyn Price

Night Three - Thursday February 16
OVO Hydro, Glasgow
Quarter-Finals
Nathan Aspinall 6-5 Michael van Gerwen
Peter Wright 4-6 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Gerwyn Price 3-6 Michael Smith
Jonny Clayton 6-1 Chris Dobey

Semi-Finals
Nathan Aspinall 1-6 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Michael Smith 6-5 Jonny Clayton

Final
Dimitri Van den Bergh 4-6 Michael Smith

Night Four - Thursday February 23
3Arena, Dublin
Quarter-Finals
Michael Smith 6-5 Peter Wright
Gerwyn Price 6-4 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Jonny Clayton 6-4 Nathan Aspinall
Chris Dobey 3-6 Michael van Gerwen

Semi-finals
Michael Smith 1-6 Gerwyn Price
Jonny Clayton 3-6 Michael van Gerwen

Final
Gerwyn Price 5-6 Michael van Gerwen

Night Five - Thursday March 2
Westpoint Exeter
Quarter-Finals
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Gerwyn Price
Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Michael Smith
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-3 Chris Dobey
Jonny Clayton 6-5 Peter Wright

Semi-finals
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Nathan Aspinall
Dimitri Van den Bergh 2-6 Jonny Clayton

Final
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Jonny Clayton

Night Six - Thursday March 9
M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
Quarter-Finals
Gerwyn Price 5-4 Peter Wright
Michael van Gerwen 6-2Jonny Clayton
Chris Dobey 4-6 Nathan Aspinall
Michael Smith 6-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh

Semi-finals
Peter Wright 1-6 Michael van Gerwen
Nathan Aspinall 2-6 Michael Smith

Final
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Michael Smith

Night Seven - Thursday March 16
Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
Quarter-Finals
Dimitri Van den Bergh vs Nathan Aspinall
Jonny Clayton vs Gerwyn Price
Peter Wright vs Michael van Gerwen
Chris Dobey vs Michael Smith

Night Eight - Thursday March 23
Utilita Arena, Newcastle
Quarter-Finals
Fixtures based on league table following Night Seven

Night Nine - Thursday March 30
Mercedes-Benz Arena, Berlin
Quarter-Finals
Dimitri Van den Bergh vs Michael Smith
Nathan Aspinall vs Chris Dobey
Jonny Clayton vs Michael van Gerwen
Peter Wright vs Gerwyn Price

Night Ten - Thursday April 6
Utilita Arena, Birmingham
Quarter-Finals
Michael van Gerwen vs Chris Dobey
Nathan Aspinall vs Jonny Clayton
Dimitri Van den Bergh vs Gerwyn Price
Peter Wright vs Michael Smith

Night 11 - Thursday April 13
The Brighton Centre
Quarter-Finals
Dimitri Van den Bergh vs Michael van Gerwen
Chris Dobey vs Gerwyn Price
Peter Wright vs Nathan Aspinall
Jonny Clayton vs Michael Smith

Night 12 - Thursday April 20
Rotterdam Ahoy
Quarter-Finals
Chris Dobey vs Jonny Clayton
Michael Smith vs Gerwyn Price
Dimitri Van den Bergh vs Peter Wright
Michael van Gerwen vs Nathan Aspinall

Night 13 - Thursday April 27
First Direct Arena, Leeds
Quarter-Finals
Michael Smith vs Chris Dobey
Michael van Gerwen vs Peter Wright
Gerwyn Price vs Jonny Clayton
Nathan Aspinall vs Dimitri Van den Bergh

Night 14 - Thursday May 4
AO Arena, Manchester
Quarter-Finals
Peter Wright vs Jonny Clayton
Chris Dobey vs Dimitri Van den Bergh
Michael Smith vs Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price vs Michael van Gerwen

Night 15 - Thursday May 11
Utilita Arena, Sheffield
Quarter-Finals
Gerwyn Price vs Nathan Aspinall
Chris Dobey vs Peter Wright
Michael van Gerwen vs Michael Smith
Jonny Clayton vs Dimitri Van den Bergh