Gary Anderson takes on MVG in Aberdeen on Thursday night
Gary Anderson takes on MVG in Aberdeen on Thursday night

Premier League Darts: Predictions, tips, odds & stats for MVG v Gary Anderson and more from from John Part


John Part previews Thursday night's Premier League Darts action in Aberdeen, including Michael van Gerwen v Gary Anderson, plus his 25/1 treble.

The race for the play-offs is pretty much done and dusted - barring a mathematical improbability - but Thursday's final night of the regular season in Aberdeen should still be a thriller, with Gary Anderson facing Michael van Gerwen.

Fifth-placed Daryl Gurney is the only man who can stop Anderson from joining MVG, Michael Smith and Rob Cross at the O2 next Thursday but he needs to thrash Peter Wright and hope the Scotsman loses to MVG - as well as overturning a legs difference deficit of 12!

Here's three-time world champion John Part's preview and tips of every match while there's also player statistics, head-to-head records and the latest table...

John Part's selections & treble

Scroll down for his full rundown of each match, helpful stats, bet explanation & latest table

John Part's treble: Whitlock, Gurney & MVG all to win (click here to back it at 25/1 with Sky Bet)

Michael Smith (5/4) v Raymond van Barneveld (6/4), draw 3/1

  • Head-to-head: 6-7

PL Darts 2018 stats

  • 3-dart Average: 95.35 - 94.84
  • 180s: 38 - 39
  • 100+ checkouts: 8 - 8
  • Highest checkout: 160 - 167
  • Checkout %: 42.21% (84/199) - 38.74% (74/191)

It's still possible for Michael Smith to finish fourth and end up playing MVG in the play-off semi-finals next week but it is highly unlikely due to his leg difference advantage over Gary Anderson.

Nevertheless it will be tough for Michael in Aberdeen because it'll almost feel like a home venue for Raymond van Barneveld. Well, it's not an English venue let's put it that way!

They are rowdy, opinionated crowd up there and it's a cracking atmosphere.

It's a hard one to call because of the mystery of Raymond van Barneveld this season. He's taken seven points from his last four, which included matches against MVG and Gary Anderson, despite not having much to play for.

This is Barney's last match of the season - so has he got one more win left in him to finish on a high?

Michael Smith is also playing very well so it's hard to dismiss him - after all, he thrashed Barney 7-0 earlier this season.

So which Barney turns up? I think the form Barney will, and if so then he's got a great chance.

If pushed - and it really could go either way - I'd lean towards Raymond and back him in the Player Performance market which requires him to win the match, score over 2.5 180s and checkout over 100.5 at 5/1.

If you think he's flakey and fancy Smith then go with the regular match treble, which is 5/1.

There's two options there - it's just a case of figuring out which Barney turns up!

Simon Whitlock (5/1) v Rob Cross (4/11), draw 4/1

  • Head-to-head: 2-3

PL Darts 2018 stats

  • 3-dart Average: 93.14 - 97.96
  • 180s: 39 - 49
  • 100+ checkouts: 7-10
  • Highest checkout: 164 - 144
  • Checkout %: 36.76% (68/185) - 46.29% (81/175)

Looking at Rob's recent form, there isn't much to shout about in the past couple of weeks.

Maybe this season is beginning to weigh down on him and the pressures of being world champion taking its toll.

Whitlock has been grinding along, picking up wins fairly regularly, and he doesn't seem to be fazed by anything. Even after two 7-1 defeats in Rotterdam he bounced back to beat Gary Anderson.

He's going to relish his last Premier League night and completing the double over the world champion this season would boost his claims of selection next year.

Whitlock is a good price at 5/1, especially considering he beat him 7-2, but to make this more of a fun bet without much of an outlay, back him in the medium Player Performance market.

He needs to win, hit over 2.5 180s and have a checkout over 91.5 - that's 10/1. The 5/1 just to win is good but if he's going to do that - even against the mediocre Cross that we've seen this season - he should achieve those targets.

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Peter Wright (5/4) v Daryl Gurney (6/4), draw 3/1

  • Head-to-head: 11-7 (1 draw)

PL Darts 2018 stats

  • 3-dart Average: 96.06 - 97.45
  • 180s: 27 - 63
  • 100+ checkouts: 9 - 12
  • Highest checkout: 132 - 167
  • Checkout %: 40.24% (68/169) - 38.79% (83/214)

It's pretty far-fetched that Daryl Gurney can reach the play-offs. He needs to overturn a leg difference deficit of 12 over Anderson the minimum requirement is a 7-2 win just to stand a chance.

But he's been playing really well so the 6/4 stands out straight away as a really good price.

Sure he's had a lot of draws but overall his form is better than Wright and he's played more consistently.

He won't win by the margin he needs but I still think he'll win the match.

Peter Wright does have the home support but it's not something he necessarily has a history of thriving on. Maybe the extra pressure to impress smothers him a little.

I'm happy with the 6/4 and there's no need to mix it up with any extras.

Michael van Gerwen (4/7) v Gary Anderson (7/2), draw 3/1

  • Head-to-head: 32-15 (draws 2)

PL Darts 2018 stats

  • 3-dart Average: 103.82 - 99.17
  • 180s: 55 - 53
  • 100+ checkouts: 18 - 15
  • Highest checkout: 170 - 170
  • Checkout %: 46.23% (98/212) - 42.93% (88/205)

I think MVG would love to win 7-0 regardless of whether it knocks Gary Anderson out or not.

I don't think he'd want to win 7-0 just to be vindictive - that wouldn't give him any extra satisfaction. It's not as if he's afraid of playing Gary and needs to eliminate him when he has an earlier chance.

There was perhaps a time a few years ago when Gary gave him trouble but that seems to have passed.

He'll want to win 7-0 just because that's what he likes to do - it's not personal.

Gary will want to make a good show of himself even if his play-off spot is already sealed because of this match being in Scotland. He doesn't want to let his fans down.

But MVG is a mile high right now with his form and all those 110 averages he managed at the weekend.

You get a really good price on the match treble for MVG to win, hit most 180s and have the highest checkout at 3/1.

To me that's the best you're gonna get. You are benefitting from the fact his opponent is Gary Anderson but it shouldn't make much difference with the form that's he's in if he can stand into the crowd.

Quite frankly I think he can handle being the unloved favourite than the home favourite he was in Rotterdam when he wilted.

He plays the role of the villain quite well.

Click here for the 2018 Premier League darts fixtures, results & statistics

Premier League Darts Table

  1. MVG P 15 W 11 D 1 L 3 LegD +45 Pts 23
  2. Smith P 15 W 9 D 1 L 5 LegD +24 Pts 19
  3. Cross P 15 W 8 D 2 L 5 LegD +5 Pts 18
  4. Anderson P 15 W 7 D 3 L 5 LegD +13 Pts 17
  5. Gurney P 15 W 4 D 7 L 4 LegD +1 Pts 15
  6. Barney P 15 W 6 D 3 L 6 LegD -8 Pts 15
  7. Wright P 15 W 4 D 5 L 6 LegD -20 Pts 13
  8. Whitlock P 15 W 5 D 2 L 8 LegD -18 Pts 12
  9. Suljovic P 9 W 2 D 0 L 7 LegD -13 Pts 4
  10. Price P 9 W 0 D 2 L 7 LegD -29 Pts 2

* Players level on points split by leg difference, legs won against throw and then, if necessary tournament average

Suljovic and Price were eliminated after Judgement Night

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