Our match-by-match guide for Wednesday's Unibet Premier League Darts fixtures includes statistics, predictions, best bets and an acca.
It's the penultimate night of regular season action and the picture is beginning to look a bit clearer. Michael Van Gerwen is the first player to have secured a place at the Play-Offs while Jose De Sousa and Nathan Aspinall have one foot each in there too.
With Jonny Clayton and Dimitri Van Den Bergh playing each other on Thursday night it looks a likely straight shoot-out between them for the final place. Nonetheless there’s still plenty of arrows to be thrown over the next two days as final standings get determined.
Premier League Night 15: May 26
- TV Coverage: Sky Sports (1900 BST)
- Format: Maximum of 14 legs
- Suggested Acca: Clayton, Aspinall & De Sousa at 12.72/1 (Sky Bet)
Jonny Clayton (11/8) v Peter Wright (11/8), draw (3/1)
- Head to Head: 2-1-6 (TV: 1-1-2)
- Meetings since start of 2020: 2-1-1 (TV: 1-1-1)
- Last Meeting: 6-6 (Premier League Night One, April 2021)
- Career PDC Titles: 7-35 (TV: 2-8)
- PDC Titles this season: 3-1 (TV: 1-1)
- Premier League Average this season: 99.15 – 96.17
- Premier League 180’s this season: 46-42
- Premier League 100+ checkouts: 12-10 (High Finish: 150 – 156)
- Premier League checkout percentage: 38.32% - 42.94%
- Premier League Position: 4th-6th (16-13)
- Premier League leg difference: +8 / -9
A defining game to open up the night’s action and one that Peter Wright must win to keep his slim hopes of finishing in the top four alive.
He’s looked much more like the ‘Snakebite’ we’ve been accustomed to over recent years the last two nights with averages of 98.68 and 102.82. More importantly, however, he’s won both matches and that’s due to clinical doubling where he’s hit 16 of his 27 attempts (59.26%). Last night in particular this statistical side of his game had to be on point as Dimitri Van Den Bergh wasn’t doing much wrong against him. He’s looked much more at ease having undergone treatment for the shoulder injury he was showing in the previous block of action and the return of the crowd seems to have been a positive for him too.
His opponent, Jonny Clayton currently occupies the fourth spot but comes into this match on the back of an important defeat at the hands of Jose De Sousa. He didn’t look overly settled throughout and was always chasing his Portuguese opponent. His average of 91.80 on the night was some way below that of the other seven players too. This was in stark contrast to a sublime performance the evening before as he emphatically beat Gary Anderson 8-1.
Since the start of 2020 these pair have met four times and we have always been treated to a fairly high standard. Clayton’s average across these matches has been 102.15 and Wright’s 101.05. Also, interesting to note is that in each of these four matches Clayton has hit the most 180’s and Wright has had the higher checkout and a 100+ out shot to boot in each match too.
I’m going to side with ‘The Ferret’ in this one who at times was hanging in there last night versus De Sousa but on the whole has been the better player of these two throughout 2021 and the more consistent of the pair throughout this years Premier League campaign so far. This would be a significant win, ending Wright’s pursuit of a Play Off spot and put the Welshman in pole position having played first on Wednesday. This would then put the pressure firmly back on his main rival for a place in finals night, Dimitri Van Den Bergh
- Score Prediction: Jonny Clayton 8-5 Peter Wright
- Suggested Bet: Jonny Clayton to win the match, hit the most 180’s and Peter Wright to register the higher checkout at 8/1 (Sky Bet)
James Wade (15/8) v Dimitri Van Den Bergh (10/11), draw (7/2)
- Head to Head: 2-2-2 (TV: 2-2-0)
- Meetings since start of 2020: 1-1-0 (TV: 1-1-0)
- Last Meeting: 6-6 (Premier League Night Nine, April 2021)
- Career PDC Titles: 38-2 (TV: 11-1)
- PDC Titles this season: 1-1 (TV: 1-0)
- Premier League Average this season: 98.50 – 99.98
- Premier League 180’s this season: 36-64
- Premier League 100+ checkouts: 12-11 (High Finish: 152 – 164)
- Premier League checkout percentage: 49.04% - 40.80%
- Premier League Position: 7th-5th (12-15)
- Premier League leg difference: -5 / +2
Another clash between two players that drew 6-6 in the opening phase of league action. In fact these two have met twice previously in the Premier League, the other being when Dimitri was a contender in 2019 and that too ended all square at 6-6.
During these two clashes James Wade has averaged 103.35 and 102.93 and Dimitri Van Den Bergh has had a doubles percentage of 63.16% (12/19). Despite these impressive statistics neither were able to come out on top. They also met in the Semi Final of the Grand Slam of Darts in 2020 and that too was another tight encounter with James Wade winning a last leg decider to come out on top 16-15.
There’s a lot more riding on this match for Dimitri than James and depending upon the outcome of the previous match there could be an intense amount of pressure on the young Belgian. Despite a 106.97 average and a 62.5% success rate on his doubles this wasn’t enough last night as he lost to 5-8 to an inspired Peter Wright.
He has always been regarded as a player for the big stage and many would have thought the return of the crowd would’ve spurred him on. Unfortunately he’s looked a bit unsettled out there the last two nights and the pressure of the occasion won’t be getting any easier this evening. He’s averaging nigh on 100+ for the tournament, is second on the tournament 180 count and holds the highest checkout for the event so far. He’s performing very well but it’s the results that count now and one win in six matches leave him on the brink of missing out on a top four place.
Results also seemed to have evaded Wade of late too. No wins in six for ‘The Machine’ either have left him just vying for his final placing in the standings and nothing else with two matches to play. He continues to be the best double hitter in the event though at 49.04% and his finishing always give him a chance. Despite not winning in six he has managed to salvage three draws.
Recent head-to-heads suggest this is going to be very tight and with the aforementioned doubling power of Wade and the pressure on Dimi to get a result, I’m going to sit on the fence. A third draw in three Premier League clashes could be on the cards. In the last two matches between the pair Van Den Bergh has also registered a 160 checkout and high scoring checkouts could be on the cards here as the match goes all the way.
- Predicted Scoreline: James Wade 7-7 Dimitri Van Den Bergh
- Suggested Bet: 3 or more 100+ checkouts in the match at 5/2 (Sky Bet)
Gary Anderson (7/4) v Nathan Aspinall (11/10), draw (3/1)
- Head to Head: 2-1-3 (TV: 1-1-2)
- Meetings since start of 2020: 1-1-1 (TV: 1-1-1)
- Last Meeting: 2-7 (Premier League Night Nine, April 2021)
- Career PDC Titles: 46-5 (TV: 15-2)
- PDC Titles this season: 0-0 (TV: 0-0)
- Premier League Average this season: 97.56 – 97.88
- Premier League 180’s this season: 50-53
- Premier League 100+ checkouts: 9-11 (High Finish: 156 – 161)
- Premier League checkout percentage: 38.30% - 44.71%
- Premier League Position: 8th-2nd (12-18)
- Premier League leg difference: -11 / +20
Nathan Aspinall is almost there in his quest for a top four finish and sits second in the standings following a high-quality draw with James Wade last night.
Gary Anderson unfortunately now sits bottom of the remaining eight players following two defeats since the return of the crowd this week. Having worked his way back into contention prior to the recent two week break he was firmly put in his place by Jonny Clayton (lost 8-1) on Monday and then lost 8-4 at the hands of Michael Van Gerwen last night. Whilst he hasn’t played badly in either of these, emphatic finishing by ‘The Ferret’ blew him away as he seemed to take every chance that came his away, then a mid-game surge by MVG was enough to create daylight between the two has the Dutch ace ran out a fairly comfortable victor. These results ended his hopes of making the Play-Offs.
On the other hand Nathan Aspinall has loved every minute of the crowd returning and they seem to love him. He was ruthless in disposing of Van Gerwen on Monday and backed this up with a battling point against ‘The Machine’, he’ll be looking to go one better than last year and claim the crown this time round and you certainly wouldn’t bet against this tenacious arrow-smith doing just that.
He’s been hitting his trusty double eight for fun again during this Premier League campaign with a 64.7% success rate (11/17). This was much like last year where he hit 55.3% of his attempts at it (21/38). Being consistent on his ‘go to’ double gives him every chance of going all the way.
When these pair met on night nine it was ‘The Asp’ who ran out an easy winner 7-2 with an average of 102.4,5 some fourteen points higher than ‘The Flying Scotsman’ at 88.35. Whilst I don’t expect the scoreline to be that clear cut on this occasion I still think Aspinall will prevail. He remains the more ruthless in the finishing department having won 80.9% of the legs in which he’s had darts a double compared to Anderson with just 69.2%
- Predicted Scoreline: 6-8
- Suggested Bet: Aspinall to win the match, score over 2.5 180’s and checkout over 83.5 at 2/1 (Sky Bet)
Jose De Sousa (7/4) v Michal Van Gerwen (Evs), draw (7/2)
- Head to Head: 2-0-4 (TV: 0-0-2)
- Meetings since start of 2020: 2-0-3 (TV: 0-0-2)
- Last Meeting: 4-7 (Premier League Night Eight, April 2021)
- Career PDC Titles: 138-4 (TV: 55-1)
- PDC Titles this season: 0-1 (TV: 0-0)
- Premier League Average this season: 99.47 – 98.34
- Premier League 180’s this season: 72-33
- Premier League 100+ checkouts: 4-19 (High Finish: 141 – 148)
- Premier League checkout percentage: 50.77% - 39.86%
- Premier League Position: 3rd-1st (18-19)
- Premier League leg difference: +17/+20
The final match of the evening and this could be a belter. Michael Van Gerwen is already assured of a place at Play-Off night and Jose De Sousa may have already joined him by the time this match comes around if results have gone in his favour. If that’s the case the shackles would be off for these two and they could just enjoy the game.
Just a point separates the two at the moment and full credit to both players for being in the position they are. There is a lot of talk of the inconsistency of Van Gerwen yet he finds himself top and De Sousa after failing to win any of his first four Premier League matches has won seven of his last 10 with tonight’s opponent the only player to have beaten him in those.
We all know that Jose is the master 180 hitter with 72 to his name so far in the event and that is a key facet to his game, although he’s only hit six across the twenty seven legs he’s played this week.
Van Gerwen’s key attribute on the other hand has been his combination ton plus finishing. He’s now notched up 19 compared De Sousa’s 4. He’s checking out 20.9% of these opportunities (19/91), in comparison his opponent success rate on these out shots is just 5.3% (4/76).
It was the Dutchman who came out on 7-4 when they met on night eight, a game that actually contained fourteen 180’s in eleven legs of darts and one which MVG matched his opponent in this respect with seven apiece; this went a long way to helping him secure the victory. The same could be needed again here.
The pair have met six times previously and the two victories for the Portuguese Man of Scores came when he registered two ton plus averages. All his defeats again the ‘Green Machine’ have been when he’s averaged less than a ton. Van Gerwen however seems to produce some of his best stuff against tonight’s opponent. In these six matches he’s produced averages of 103.51, 102.50, 103.10, 92.43, 99.52 and 104.72.
In their previous meeting it was Van Gerwen who had the throw and always seemed to be in front and that could be the secret here with De Sousa having the throw tonight. In his last seven matches in all competitions ‘The Special One’ has secured an early break and led 3-1 or 4-0 after four legs. I think the same again could happen again here and that for me would be enough to help him see out the victory given he’s arguably the form player in the event at the moment. A win would be his first TV win against MVG and would see him leapfog Van Gerwen. Who knows perhaps Jose will top the league stage and secure the £25,000 bonus for doing so come tomorrow night.
- Predicted Scoreline: 8-5
- Suggested Bet: Match to have over 12.5 legs, highest checkout 106.5 and over 6.5 180s’ at 6/4 (Sky Bet)
2021 Premier League Darts Table
- Michael van Gerwen P 14 W 8 D 3 L 3 LegD +20 Pts 19
- Nathan Aspinall P 14 W 7 D 4 L 3 LegD +20 Pts 18
- Jose de Sousa P 14 W 7 D 4 L 3 LegD +17 Pts 18
- Jonny Clayton P 14 W 7 D 2 L 5 LegD +8 Pts 16
- Dimitri Van den Bergh P 13 W 6 D 3 L 4 LegD +5 Pts 15
- Peter Wright P 14 W 5 D 3 L 6 LegD -9 Pts 13
- Gary Anderson P 14 W 5 D 2 L 7 LegD -11 Pts 12
- James Wade P 14 W 4 D 4 L 6 LegD -5 Pts 12
- Rob Cross P 9 W 3 D 1 L 5 LegD -3 Pts 7 (ELIMINATED)
- Glen Durrant P 9 W 0 D 0 L 9 LegD -39 Pts 0 (ELIMINATED)
- The top four after 16 games qualify for the end of season play-offs, where the title will be decided
- Players earn two points for a win, and one for a draw.
- When players are tied on points, leg difference is used first as a tie-breaker, after that legs won against throw and then tournament average.
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