Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith will face each other in Newcastle on the opening night of the Premier League – a repeat of last year’s final and the World Championship final.
Fresh from his third world title, where be beat Bully Boy 7-3 in the Ally Pally finale, MVG will kick off his quest to continue his Premier League dominance against the man he also beat in May last year in the capital.
The world No 1 has reached the final in all six years he has played in the competition, topping the regular season standings on all six occasions – and more importantly going on to win the title four times, including each of the last three years.
In 2018 he chalked up a barely believable 112.37 average to beat Smith in The Docklands, whose memorable second year in the competition ended with a very respectable runners-up finish.
This year’s action will kick off and it will be a clash for the former champions that gets the action underway with the returning James Wade up against surprise pick Raymond van Barneveld on Tyneside.
The Machine, a three-time finalist and champion in 2009, is back after a year off while 2014 champ Barney is beginning his final year as a professional having announced he will retire after the 2019/20 World Championship.
- Barney gets Premier League Darts nod
- Premier League player profiles
Premier League Darts Night One – Newcastle
Glasgow’s SSE Hydro get to welcome Gary Anderson on Night Two when The Flying Scotsman takes on Daryl Gurney and as is fast becoming tradition, Anderson will face Van Gerwen at a raucous BGHE Arena in Aberdeen, although this year it will be on Night Five.
The opening 10 rounds of action conclude with what promises to be a drama-filled two nights at Rotterdam’s Ahoy when back-to-back nights finish with Judgement Night that will be headlined by Van Gerwen and Barney going head to head.
Barney pulled off a memorable victory over his younger countryman last year, and with the added drama of relegation on the night there will be more than pride at stake as the first stage reaches its conclusion.
After Night 10 in Rotterdam, the bottom two players will be relegated and the top eight will play out the remaining seven nights with the top four then moving on to Finals Night at The O2.
Premier League Darts Night Eight – Rotterdam
Premier League Darts Judgement Night – Rotterdam
2019 Unibet Premier League – Fixtures
Night One – Thursday, February 7 – Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle
James Wade v Raymond van Barneveld
Gerwyn Price v Daryl Gurney
Gary Anderson v Mensur Suljovic
Michael van Gerwen v Michael Smith
Peter Wright v Rob Cross
Night Two – Thursday, February 14 – SSE Hydro, Glasgow
Peter Wright v Michael Smith
Rob Cross v James Wade
Raymond van Barneveld v Gerwyn Price
Daryl Gurney v Gary Anderson
Mensur Suljovic v Michael van Gerwen
Night Three – Thursday, February 21 – 3Arena, Dublin
Gerwyn Price v James Wade
Gary Anderson v Peter Wright
Michael van Gerwen v Rob Cross
Michael Smith v Daryl Gurney
Mensur Suljovic v Raymond van Barneveld
Night Four – Thursday, February 28 – Westpoint Exeter
Gary Anderson v Gerwyn Price
Daryl Gurney v Rob Cross
Mensur Suljovic v Peter Wright
Michael van Gerwen v James Wade
Michael Smith v Raymond van Barneveld
Night Five – Thursday, March 7 – BHGE Arena, Aberdeen
Michael Smith v Rob Cross
Daryl Gurney v James Wade
Mensur Suljovic v Gerwyn Price
Raymond van Barneveld v Peter Wright
Michael van Gerwen v Gary Anderson
- Darts on Sky Sports
- Barney a showcase for PL
Night Six – Thursday, March 14 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
Gary Anderson v Michael Smith
James Wade v Mensur Suljovic
Rob Cross v Raymond van Barneveld
Gerwyn Price v Michael van Gerwen
Peter Wright v Daryl Gurney
Night Seven – Thursday, March 21 – Mercedes-Benz Arena, Berlin
Gerwyn Price v Rob Cross
James Wade v Peter Wright
Michael van Gerwen v Daryl Gurney
Michael Smith v Mensur Suljovic
Gary Anderson v Raymond van Barneveld
Night Eight – Wednesday, March 27 – Rotterdam Ahoy
Gerwyn Price v Michael Smith
James Wade v Gary Anderson
Rob Cross v Mensur Suljovic
Peter Wright v Michael van Gerwen
Raymond van Barneveld v Daryl Gurney
Judgement Night – Thursday, March 28 – Rotterdam Ahoy
Daryl Gurney v Mensur Suljovic
Peter Wright v Gerwyn Price
Rob Cross v Gary Anderson
Raymond van Barneveld v Michael van Gerwen
James Wade v Michael Smith
Fixtures for Nights 10-16 will be confirmed following Judgement Night.
Night 10 – Thursday, April 4 – SSE Arena, Belfast
Night 11 – Thursday, April 11 – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
Night 12 – Thursday, April 18 – Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
Night 13 – Thursday, April 25 – Arena Birmingham
Night 14 – Thursday, May 2 – Manchester Arena
Night 15 – Thursday, May 9 – FlyDSA Arena, Sheffield
Night 16 – Thursday, May 16 – First Direct Arena, Leeds
Play-Offs – Thursday, May 23 – The O2, London
Darts returns to your Sky Sports screens with the Premier League – 17 nights of top tungsten action gets underway in Newcastle on Thursday, February 7 on Sky Sports Action and Main Event from 7pm
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