Premier League Darts: Phil Taylor to stay in the hunt for top spot and Robert Thornton will stay alive
Thursday 24 March 2016 18:49, UK
With just one week until Judgement Night, players are battling against elimination when the Premier League heads to Liverpool.
Robert Thornton needs a win from one of his two games to keep alive his survival hopes, while Michael Smith and Dave Chisnall are also scrapping for their places this Thursday night, live on Sky Sports.
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The battle for top spot is also intensifying, with Phil Taylor, Gary Anderson and James Wade pursuing leader Michael van Gerwen, but who is Wayne picking as his winners and losers?
Michael Smith v Robert Thornton
Robert Thornton was good last week, he played better. I had the pleasure of spending my whole Sunday with Robert as we were doing an exhibition together in Irvine. He said he's feeling so much better than he has done throughout the whole of the Premier League. He's using new darts and has a new lease of life.
I actually think he'll do a job on Michael Smith, who missed last week and is coming back. You kind of feel like you're out of it again. You never have any rhythm when that happens.
I just think that Robert right now has got more confidence than he's had since the start. That can only be positive.
Prediction: Robert can claim his first win with an improved performance. (Thornton 2/1 with Sky Bet to win)
Gary Anderson v Dave Chisnall
Gary was brilliant last week, I thought he was sensational. We've alluded to it so often about the pressure that he's under when he plays in Scotland. We've played in Aberdeen and Glasgow and Anderson has not let them down once. He's averaged over a ton in every game, won six points out of six in Scotland.
He's looking good and he's only a point off top. I think the way that Gary is carrying on, he'll march into the play-offs.
'Chizzy' on the other hand, he plays well and gets beat, he plays poor and gets beat. He needs to find a point at least, just to stop the rot. Dave hasn't won since the very first week. Against Gary, he's only going to get a point at best, but I'm going for an Anderson win.
Prediction: Gary will take victory in a close game. (Anderson 7/1 with Sky Bet to win 7-5)
Adrian Lewis v Raymond van Barneveld
I reckon these two are so unpredictable, that they literally get out of the bed on different sides every morning. They are lunatics, the pair of them. All joking aside, I do fancy Adrian Lewis for this match. He is really hungry to get in the play-offs, because it has only happened twice in eight attempts, and that's just poor. He's had four wins so far and there is no reason why he can't have another.
Barney's brilliance of last week doesn't mean he's going to be anything like the same this week. Adrian was poor last week. Do I think he will be poor again? No, but he could be! His good performances have come off a bad one and I think this could be the same.
Prediction: Lewis will edge Barney in a last-leg thriller. (Lewis 15/2 with Sky Bet to win 7-5)
Phil Taylor v Peter Wright
Peter Wright is playing great without winning. It doesn't make sense and it won't continue. Maybe this is the week? You can't keep averaging between 103 and 106 and not pick up points. I'm bamboozled how it's happened.
Taylor is coming round to the fact that he has to fight to be called the world's best player.
It's going to be a real tight game this one, but I think Phil Taylor has got the bit between his teeth. Taylor is coming round to the fact that he has to fight to be called the world's best player. I think he's ready for that tussle for the next year to 18 months. I think by just being in the play-offs for the Premier League, he'll have a chance to beat Michael, but first off he's got to get into the play-offs. A win against Wright will do him a massive favour later on.
Prediction: Taylor will beat Wright 7-5. (Taylor 7/1 with Sky Bet to win 7-5)
Michael van Gerwen v Robert Thornton
The pressure is on Robert, but after listening to him at the weekend and watching him last week, he will just play. Who expected him to beat Michael in the World Grand Prix final? No one.
Look, Michael played below average last week, averaging 107, and had a 170 checkout. If he's a bit below that average of 107, I think he still wins this game quite comfortably. I just expect Michael to have too much for Robert.
Prediction: Michael to complete a convincing win over Thornton.
SKY BET PRICE BOOST: MVG to win, hit the highest checkout & score most 180s now 1/1 (was 8/11)!
Watch all the Premier League action this Thursday night, starting at 7pm on Sky Sports 1.
