2024 BetMGM Premier League Darts: Night Seven Preview

The Premier League of Darts heads off to the Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham for Night 7 in what will be another night of exciting action of darts.

With the reigning World Champion Luke Humphries winning his first night last week in Brighton, he will be looking to overtake an off colour Michael van Gerwen at the top of the table tonight, as the Dutchman has yet to progress through to the semi-finals since his Night 4 success.

Thursday 14th March – Quarter-Final Draw

Peter Wright vs Gerwyn Price

Luke Humphries vs Michael Smith

Michael van Gerwen vs Luke Littler

Rob Cross vs Nathan Aspinall

Peter Wright vs Gerwyn Price

With both players sitting in bottom two places in the table, it is fair to say it hasn’t been the best campaigns for them. Price hasn’t reached the semi-finals since week 3, with Wright not being able to get any points on the board yet.

In the previous two weeks, Price has averaged 90.73 and 97.42, but has come up against two world class performances from Cross and Humphries respectively, who have averaged 109.69 and 105.50. A performance against Wright here could lead to a run to the final and get some much needed points on the board to kick start his campaign, especially as he has not yet won a Night thus far.

Credit: PDC

Wright, however, has struggled in this campaign, but has had chances to win matches. Narrow 6-5 defeats to Luke Littler in Night 4 and Michael Smith in Night 6 could have provided him with a chance to regain his form back to his brilliant best. A win could change everything for his Premier League play-off prospects and his overall form, even though he is displaying signs on the ProTour.

Luke Humphries vs Michael Smith

In a repeat of last weeks final, Luke Humphries and Michael Smith go head-to-head in this weeks quarter-final. With Humphries sitting in 2nd and Smith placed 5th, and 2 points the difference between them, this encounter could shake up the table come the end of the evening.

After his Night 6 win, Humphries is now at the highest position he’s been this Premier League campaign, therefore he will want to close the gap down to Michael van Gerwen at the top providing he can get over the line in this one.

Credit: PDC

Smith needed a good run after 3 weeks having not won a game in the competition, and coming up short in the final has revitalised his chances of reaching the play-offs. Smith has a difficult task on his hands if he wants to defeat last week’s winner in Humphries, but he will be looking for revenge from their final encounter.

Michael van Gerwen vs Luke Littler

The stand out tie of the night is Michael van Gerwen vs Luke Littler, and understandably so. The current leader in the table against the man of the moment who has been playing at a high level since his World Championship run.

Littler won his 1st European Tour in Belgium last week on debut and hit a 9 darter in the final too. His confidence and consistent performances on his debut could lead to him getting one over Michael van Gerwen, who is yet to have won a match in the Premier League in over three weeks.

Though Michael van Gerwen has been struggling, these two have met in two World Series event finals earlier this year, with them both winning one apiece. There is no doubt that he will be up for it and could stop the rot of not progressing through to the semi-finals or further in the last two evenings.

Rob Cross vs Nathan Aspinall

In a repeat of the Night 5 final two weeks ago, Rob Cross and Nathan Aspinall conclude the quarter-final lineup. With Aspinall looking slightly out of it form wise, his win in Exeter could help him push up the table even further.

Aspinall has either lost in his opening game or got to the final at least, and is by no means out of the running for a play-off place. With slight inconsistencies to his game at the moment, it is important he finds consistent points to stand a chance at making it to the play-offs for the first time since making it on his debut in 2020.

Cross, however, is one of the most inform playing wise, but needs a big win to reward his form. Last week he averaged 108 in a 6-3 defeat in the semi-finals, and averaged 108 again but lost 8-7 to Littler on the European Tour. With coming close to winning a night, you feel as though one could be round the corner.