Michael van Gerwen beats Gerwyn Price, Luke Littler and Nathan Aspinall to win Week Four of Premier League Darts in Newcastle; watch Premier League Darts live on Sky Sports every Thursday, including Week Five in Exeter on February 29
A look at the best of the action from Night Four of Premier League Darts as Michael van Gerwen made it three nightly wins on the spin
Michael van Gerwen made it three Premier League nightly wins on the spin as he defeated Nathan Aspinall 6-4 in Newcastle to extend his lead at the top of the standings to eight points.
Van Gerwen backed up his victories in Berlin and Glasgow with another in the North East, seeing off Gerwyn Price 6-4 in the quarter-finals and Luke Littler 6-5 in a thrilling semi-final.
The Dutchman, who is now up to 15 points for the campaign, lost the opening two legs to Aspinall before winning five in a row as he looked set for a routine victory at the Utilita Arena.
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Premier League Darts – Night Four results
Quarter-finals | Michael Smith | 5-6 | Nathan Aspinall |
Rob Cross | 6-5 | Luke Humphries | |
Peter Wright | 5-6 | Luke Littler | |
Gerwyn Price | 4-6 | Michael van Gerwen | |
Semi-finals | Nathan Aspinall | 6-4 | Rob Cross |
Luke Littler | 5-6 | Michael van Gerwen | |
Final | Nathan Aspinall | 4-6 | Michael van Gerwen |
However, Aspinall – whose wins over Michael Smith and Rob Cross were his first of the season – fought back and reeled in the Big Fish of 170 to make it 5-4.
Nathan Aspinall hit the Big Fish during the final against Michael van Gerwen
Van Gerwen then took out double 18 for the match after Aspinall missed two attempts at double 16 to force a deciding leg.
MVG has now won nine matches in a row since he lost to Michael Smith on the opening night in Cardiff on February 1 and will look to extend his run in Exeter next Thursday.
Michael van Gerwen says it wasn’t easy to deal with the pressure as he overcame Nathan Aspinall to win Night Four of Premier League Darts in Newcastle
Van Gerwen: Winning is the most important thing
Speaking after beating Aspinall, Van Gerwen said: “I played poorly in the first two legs but I never gave up. I feel good in my game and I feel confident.
“I am not going to set myself any targets, no goals. I don’t set myself any targets – but it could be a record [number of nightly wins].
“I am just going to keep focussing or I get bored. I need to keep the motivation.
“Winning is the most important thing. You don’t care about anything else as a darts player. It is the biggest medicine.”
Michael van Gerwen beat Nathan Aspinall in the final
Van Gerwen missed six match darts at a double in his 6-5 win over Littler in the semi-finals before winning the next leg as he landed two double 18s.
That ended teenager Littler’s hopes of a first overall nightly win in the Premier League but the youngster impressed in Newcastle, against Van Gerwen and also Peter Wright.
Michael van Gerwen was left hanging by Luke Littler ahead of their deciding leg during their semi-final match
Michael van Gerwen beat Luke Littler in the semi-final
Littler fired in a 170 finish and also a 100 checkout with tops-tops as he denied Wright a first win of the season by edging a cracking quarter-final 6-5 – Wright is still the only man yet to register a point following Aspinall’s two victories.
Luke Littler hit a 170 checkout during his quarter-final match against Peter Wright
Luke Littler hit this checkout during his quarter-final tie against Peter Wright
Aspinall picks up first wins of season
Aspinall defeated Night One winner Smith in a last-leg decider in the opening quarter-final, taking out double 10 after his opponent had missed that bed for the victory himself.
Cross then fought back from 5-3 down to defeat reigning world champion Luke Humphries in another 11th-leg shootout before Littler vs Wright went all the way.
Van Gerwen did not need a deciding leg to overcome Price in the last quarter-final but did to overcome Littler a round later as the crowd were treated to the latest instalment in what is shaping up to be a stunning rivalry.
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Aspinall was Van Gerwen’s third and final victim in Newcastle and although The Asp will ponder what might have been had he been more lethal on his doubles, he will be delighted to have chalked up his first points of the season.
He beat Cross 6-4 in the semi-finals but the latter’s progression to the last four means he sits in the fourth and final play-off place at this early stage of the campaign, behind runaway leader Van Gerwen, Smith and Littler.
Where does the Premier League head next?
Exeter is the venue for Night Five, with these fixtures to take place in Devon…
Night Four, Exeter – Thursday February 29
Quarter-finals |
Luke Humphries vs Michael van Gerwen |
Nathan Aspinall vs Peter Wright |
Gerwyn Price vs Rob Cross |
Luke Littler vs Michael Smith |
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Premier League Darts continues on Sky Sports on Thursday, February 29, in Exeter. Watch live on Sky Sports Action from 7pm. Stream darts and more sports without a contract through NOW
2024 Premier League Darts schedule
Night 5 | Westpoint Exeter | Feb 29 |
Night 6 | The Brighton Centre | March 7 |
Night 7 | Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham | March 14 |
Night 8 | 3Arena, Dublin | March 21 |
Night 9 | SSE Arena, Belfast | March 28 |
Night 10 | AO Arena, Manchester | April 4 |
Night 11 | Utilita Arena, Birmingham | April 11 |
Night 12 | Rotterdam Ahoy | April 18 |
Night 13 | M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool | April 25 |
Night 14 | P&J Live, Aberdeen | May 2 |
Night 15 | First Direct Arena, Leeds | May 9 |
Night 16 | Utilita Arena, Sheffield | May 16 |
Play-Offs | The O2, London | May 23 |
Sourse: skysports.com