Three-time world champion John Part brings you his match-by-match analysis and predictions for week five of the Premier League - while he also looks back on a dramatic UK Open in his weekly column.
The 2017 Premier League Darts season continues on Thursday March 9 at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, featuring newly-crowned UK Open champion Peter Wright's clash with James Wade while Michael van Gerwen also makes his return from injury.
And here John Part, who triumphed in two PDC World Championship finals against Phil Taylor and Kirk Shepherd to add to his BDO crown of 1994, continues to bring you match-by-match analysis and predictions ahead of every round of the 16-week season, including the finale at London's O2 on May 18.
But before providing his best bets for Thursday night's games, which will be screened live on Sky Sports from 1900 GMT, Darth Maple also looks back on what was a landmark moment for Peter Wright in Minehead...
John Part on Peter Wright's UK Open triumph
It was a great weekend for Peter Wright to win his first televised major and having to deal with the pressures of being favourite from pretty much the start.
There may have been no Michael van Gerwen but his standard of play was so high, following on from Thursday night’s stunning display in the Premier League.
He’ll now be feeling very good and motivated about winning one of the even ‘bigger’ majors and I think he’s now ready to do that. His averages are now up at the phenomenal level along with MVG and Gary Anderson while he’s also so solid and durable.
If he carries on like this then he’ll eventually be able to topple van Gerwen in a final.
The modern day career of Peter Wright began when he lost the 2014 World Championship final to MVG and since then he’s had that double monkey on his back – not winning a TV major and not beating MVG in one.
Having one of those off his back now frees him up to be more relaxed for when they cross paths in a final – and being ranked number three in the world means that’s the only place they’ll meet in one of the big majors.
He’s also found the going tough with Gary Anderson in the past but now he’ll find it mentally easier to deal with either of them.
That said, it would probably be an unnecessary knee-jerk reaction to back him at 7/1 to win the next available big trophy – the Premier League.
He’s in a sweet spot right now but how long can it go on? And besides that, there’s still two months to go and the top four isn’t guaranteed for anyone!
You wouldn’t think the price would go down too much more – if at all – as long as MVG is still there and his injury doesn’t worsen, and it might even go up if he suffers a couple of defeats in this highly competitive event.
As far as Anderson goes, one of the biggest stories was his defeat to someone I call ‘the professional amateur’!
Paul Hogan averaged over 100 when beating me 5-0 at the 2013 UK Open and I was immediately asked how I was beaten by an amateur – but he’d playing at world championship level in the BDO for 20 years and I also lost to him in 1998!
He so nearly beat Glen Durrant at this year’s world championship when he led 4-0 – he’s a very good player.
He’s just one of those guys who perhaps feels he shouldn’t be on the big stage but he really should. He just disappears for what seems like a few years then can turn up and pull off results like this, then people forget about him again.
Overall, the way the tournament unfolded, with three surprise semi-finalists in Gerwyn Price, Daryl Gurney and Alan Norris, will give more hope to those below the very elite that they can go deep at the big events and also remind everyone that even the big names can lose to anyone.
Premier League Darts: Week six predictions
Click on each match for more Sky Bet odds
JOHN PART'S TREBLE: Wright, Klassen & Anderson all to win at 7.25/1
Adrian Lewis (2/1) v Phil Taylor (10/11) (Draw 7/2)
This is a puzzler. I haven’t tipped a draw all season but there’s been plenty of them – so I’m finally going to sit on the fence! Phil will be raring to go after missing the UK Open and will probably want some of the limelight back for himself.
Although it was his choice to miss the qualifying events, it would have been hard for him to watch a major without being part of it but at least he’ll be well rested, while he also played well last week when drawing with Gary Anderson. He’ll be loving his position at the top of the table.
Adrian Lewis, like Anderson, fell victim to Paul Hogan’s Cinderella story at the UK Open and didn’t get anything for his 109 average against the outstanding Wright last Thursday night.
He lost heavily to Taylor in both their Premier League meetings in 2016 but despite that I can still see this one going all the way. Lewis can stay in games, like he did in the draw with MVG, while we haven’t seen the classic Taylor thumping anyone this season.
The standard this season and the competitive resilience is so high this season and this lends itself to closer games. Nobody is rolling over like they may have done before and there’s as much tenacity in the game now as there’s ever been.
Adrian is tied for the bottom but only four behind first, so that’s another big motivating factor in his favour but overall the draw at 7/2 is worth a play.
James Wade (3/1) v Peter Wright (8/13) (Draw 4/1)
I think we can expect more to come from Peter rather than it being a case of after the Lord Mayor’s Show. As well as coming into the night on a real high from the weekend, he’s won his last seven games against Wade and nine of the last 10.
That’s not a good starting point for James but he’s been playing pretty well this season despite his rough week at the office which started with his a Premier League defeat against Chizzy and then an early UK Open exit at the hands of Adrian Lewis.
I don’t see Wright totally killing James, who is still fourth in the table with plenty to play for, so I expect another intense match.
The 7/2 Match Action bet appeals to me, which requires over 10.5 legs, 5.5 180s and a high out of more than 121.5. The legs and maximums are very attainable so the only sticky element is the checkout but they’ve both well capable of that.
Kim Huybrechts (9/1) v Michael van Gerwen (1/6) (Draw 8/1)
So it looks like MVG makes his return this week and it’s a good thing too because things would have got a bit too awkward otherwise.
We can’t just assume his comeback from his back injury will be smooth and he doesn’t have to be too much less good for others to sense a weakness.
In the commentary box we’ve often looked at MVG’s stance and wondered how long he can stand like that before something goes so it’s not too much of a surprise that something like this has happened – if indeed it is a wear and tear kind of injury.
Of course it could be just a twisting of the back after picking up a bag or something which wouldn’t be quite so alarming.
But if it’s an inevitable consequence of his style then this will be important for his future because it may force him to make some kind of adjustment in the long term.
As far as Thursday night goes, it’s still the only real source of optimism Kim will have. He’s lost his last nine matches against Michael and 12 of the last 13, so if MVG is fit enough to play you can only see one result here, which is 1/6.
That said Huybrechts hasn’t been playing too badly and should be able to win four legs, which brings the 11/2 Match Action bet into play. This requires over 10.5 legs, a checkout of over 121.5 and more than 6.5 180s.
Kim has been playing well enough to contribute and all his matches so far have had at least 11 legs, including three 6-6 draws.
Jelle Klaasen (9/4) v Raymond van Berneveld (5/6) (Draw 4/1)
I said last week there could be a few disinterested performances in the Premier League on the eve of the UK Open – and Barney’s was certainly one of those! His mind was clearly on Minehead and it took a superb performance from Peter Wright to beat him in the quarter-finals.
Given how the tournament had opened up, Barney was very disappointed not to have won his first major title since the 2014 Premier League and reports emerged suggesting he was even ready to quit.
But Barney is a bit of a hot head when he loses and says things like that. He’ll be fed up, tired and may not feel so motivated this week even though he’s been playing very well and should be thinking about winning this event.
He’s the sort of guy who could capitalise if MVG shows vulnerability with his injury.
But right now it’s a good opportunity to back against him when he plays Jelle Klaasen, who will fancy his chances having won three of their last four meetings.
Jelle is 9/4, which is a nice price especially with Barney in a temporary negative state of mind and probably not fancying more travelling even though he’s well received in Glasgow.
Dave Chisnall (3/1) v Gary Anderson (4/7) (Draw 9/2)
The Glasgow crowd don’t have any problem with the concept of a sacrificial lamb and that’s the role Dave Chisnall finds himself in as he prepares to face the Flying Scotsman.
The price of 4/7 for Anderson seems long to me but that’s probably in part down to Chizzy playing well and winning twice last week and Anderson only managing a draw before losing to the ‘professional amateur’ Paul Hogan at the UK Open.
I really fancy Anderson to bounce back and having been frustrated by three draws this season, he knows two points are important to get right back in the top four or three.
The head-to-head record is firmly in favour of Gary who has won seven of the last eight including that epic quarter-final at the World Championship.
I’m going to be bold though and back Anderson at 9/4 to win with the most 180s, even against the maximum machine!
He’s a very responsive player and hits back hard against whatever is thrown at him and if it’s plenty of 180s, he’ll do likewise.
Chizzy tops the 180s charts with 23 but he’s played one game more than everyone else and Anderson is second on that list on 21.
Premier League Darts 2017 Table
Phil Taylor P 5 W 2 D 3 L 0 LegDiff +7 Pts 7
Peter Wright P 5 W 3 D 1 L 1 LegDiff +6 Pts 7
Michael van Gerwen P 4 W 2 D 2 L 0 LegDiff +7 Pts 6
James Wade P 5 W 2 D 2 L 1 LegDiff +3 Pts 6
Dave Chisnall P 6 W 3 D 0 L 3 LegDiff -3 Pts 6
Gary Anderson P 5 W 1 D 3 L 1 LegDiff +2 Pts 5
Raymond van Barneveld P 5 W 1 D 2 L 2 LegDiff -6 Pts 4
Adrian Lewis P 5 W 1 D 1 L 3 LegDiff -5 Pts 3
Kim Huybrechts P 5 W 0 D 3 L 2 LegDiff -5 Pts 3
Jelle Klaasen P 5 W 1 D 1 L 3 LegDiff -6 Pts 3
MVG has played one game less as he withdrew from week five due to injury, with Chisnall playing twice that night.
