Premier League Darts - Night 15 Predictions
Just two weeks of Premier League regular-season action remains and Night 15 in Leeds is make or break for the play-off hopefuls.
Peter Wright and Gerwyn Price are out of contention, while Luke Littler and Luke Humphries are assured of a top-four position.
Michael van Gerwen, Rob Cross, Michael Smith and Nathan Aspinall are left to battle it out for the two remaining playoff places, and with the Asp taking on Bully Boy at the quarter-final stage, there is plenty riding on the Leeds action.
Cross has to beat Van Gerwen to have any hope of reaching the O2, while the Dutchman needs points to keep his rivals at bay.
Luke Humphries to win Week 15 @ 10/3
Luke Littler has won 14 of his last 16 Premier League matches and the Nuke has four nightly victorties on his record. The 17-year-old’s chances of success in Leeds are there for all to see, but 15/8 marks the shortest price Littler has gone off this season and there could be a better-value play elsewhere.
Humphries has three weekly wins this term and Cool Hand Luke looks to have a slightly easier route to the Leeds final, with Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen and Littler all in the top half of the draw.
The Newbury arrowsmith skipped the Pro Tour events in German earlier this week and a fresh Humphries looks a leading contender in Leeds.
Michael van Gerwen to beat Gerwyn Price @ 7/10
Price has already been eliminated from the Premier League and there are concerns over the Iceman’s motivation and fitness in Leeds.
The Markham man withdrew from Night 14 in Aberdeen last Thursday and the Iceman was again absent from the Pro Tour events in Germany earlier this week. Van Gerwen hasn’t been at his peak of late, but it’s hard to side with anything other than an MVG victory in Leeds.
Luke Littler to win 6-0 @ 10/1
A whopping 32 points separate Littler and Wright in the Premier League table and the Nuke looks ready to explode in Leeds.
The 17-year-old has won 14 of his last 16 league matches, he has been collecting European Tour titles away from this competition and the Warrington man could run riot against Wright.
Snakebite has lost five quarter-finals on the bounce and he may not even get a leg on the board in this last-eight showdown.
Luke Humphries over 3.5 180s v Rob Cross @ 11/10
Humphries hit four 180s when losing 6-5 to Cross in a high-class semi-final clash in Aberdeen last week and Cool Hand Luke can be a maximum man in Leeds.
The Newbury arrowsmith has hit 16 maximums in his last five Premier League matches, and with the prospect of another close game against Voltage, there should be a good few legs for Humphries to find his scoring touch.
Michael Smith to beat Nathan Aspinall @ 4/5
This is a crucial contest in the battle for a top-four finish. Aspinall is in pole position and a win for the Asp would effectively assure his spot at the O2, while ending Smith's at the same time.
However, Bully Boy was in superb form when winning Players Championship 9 in Germany on Tuesday and the St Helens man may edge out his playoff rival.