Premier League Darts news: Night 4 preview and predictions
Premier League Darts head to Exeter for the fourth instalment of weekly action.
Luke Humphries remains at the summit of the table closely followed by Gerwyn Price who set Dublin alight last week, reports Sports News Blitz’s arrows expert Joseph Hannen.
Despite recording the highest average across the season so far, Luke Littler has dropped to fourth and only Stephen Bunting is yet to record a win this campaign.
Vintage Price proves his class
Gerwyn Price showed excellent form last week, dispatching Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Nathan Aspinall on his way to his first nightly win.
The Iceman took maximum points for the first time since night 11 in 2023 and has shot himself into second place.
Price fired in a 102.64 average and five 180s to beat Littler 6-4, making it five wins in six for Price over The Nuke.
World No.1 Humphries was next up, but Price broke throw three times and reeled in the big fish in a solid 6-3 win, averaging 96.26.
The Welshman rounded off the night with a comfortable 6-3 win over Nathan Aspinall to make it seven points in the opening three nights.
Humphries will be out for revenge in Exeter, as the pair face off again in the second quarter-final of Night 4.
Double trouble
Rob Cross’ quarter-final against Aspinall was a spectacle for all the wrong reasons.
Cross missed eight darts at double in the opening leg of his 6-3 defeat to The Asp.
He never recovered from his early struggles, battling on the outer ring throughout the match and even busting his score multiple times.
Despite not being at his best, Aspinall capitalised, averaging just 85.53 but hitting four 180s to secure the win.
Cross will open Night 4 against Michael van Gerwen on Thursday, having won only once so far.
With the second-lowest average of the campaign (94.39), he needs to start grinding out points to avoid a repeat of last year’s disappointing sixth-place finish.
On the other hand, Dublin was a confidence booster for Aspinall, who revealed he had been feeling unwell before his match with Cross.
Aspinall sits fifth and will take on Hollywood Chris Dobey in Exeter - both players have recorded two wins this season.
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Littler and Dobey to bounce back
Both Littler and Dobey have had two quarter-final exits in three nights. The pair will be looking to return to winning ways in Exeter.
Defeats for Dobey against Humphries and Van Gerwen in the last two weeks after reaching the final in Night 1 leaves him in sixth place.
Dobey averaged 96.99 with 5 180’s and a 154 checkout in a battling 6-1 loss to Van Gerwen.
As for Littler, the reigning Premier League and World Champion will undoubtedly have his eye on a second nightly win as he finds himself on the better side of the draw.
Littler averaged 99.78 in defeat to the in-form Price and takes on Bunting in Night 4, who admitted to still feeling the nerves of the Premier League and claimed it is “a marathon not a sprint.”
The bookies favour both Littler (1/3) and Dobey (4/5) to reach the semi-final, where they would take each other on for the first time this campaign.
Exeter order of play and predictions
The order of play for Night 4 is as follows:
Michael van Gerwen vs Rob Cross
Gerwyn Price vs Luke Humphries
Chris Dobey vs Nathan Aspinall
Stephen Bunting vs Luke Littler
Van Gerwen sits at 8/15 to take care of Cross whose woes I expect to continue.
The bookies favour Humphries (8/13) to get revenge on Price, and I anticipate a close encounter to go in favour of the league leader despite the form of Price.
I agree with the odds and expect Littler and Dobey to progress, setting up a semi-final that I believe Littler will win.
Humphries and van Gerwen are priced at 5/2 and 11/2, respectively, to reach the final. I think whoever wins their potential semi-final will go on to claim the nightly victory.
Night 4 prediction: Humphries to beat Littler 6-4 in the final.
