Darts Premier League
Littler to repeat Van Gerwen face-off in Manchester
Night 9 in Manchester feels like a turning point in this year’s Premier League, and our William Hill News predictions give a clear favourite in three of the four quarter‑finals, but there are live underdogs in every tie.
Michael van Gerwen (8/13) v Stephen Bunting (13/10)
Night 8 in Berlin was exactly what Michael van Gerwen needed: he beat Luke Humphries, crushed Gian van Veen and then pushed Luke Littler all the way in a high‑quality final, averaging over 103 in defeat. That run hauled him back into the top four on 13 points and, more importantly, looked like the first time all season his scoring and doubling clicked together for an entire night.
Bunting, by contrast, is playing better than his position suggests. He sits seventh on seven points but averaged just shy of 108 in a losing effort to Littler last week and has already claimed a nightly win back in Belfast. William Hill still side firmly with MVG at 8/13, with Bunting 13/10, which feels about right given Van Gerwen’s resurgence and his tendency to step it up on the big stages.
Prediction: Van Gerwen to win, but Bunting’s scoring makes over 9.5 legs and 6-4 either way attractive for side bets.
Gerwyn Price (EVS) v Luke Humphries (4/5)
This is the tightest match of the night according to the leading bookmaker, and rightly so. Gerwyn Price sits third with 14 points and has dropped just one leg in his last two quarter‑finals, steamrolling Josh Rock and Gian van Veen early in nights before running into Littler deeper in the bracket. Humphries is still chasing a first nightly win despite consistently strong averages, and his title‑defence is stuck in second-gear in fifth place on 10 points.
We’re leaning towards Price 6-4, because of his ruthless opening‑match record and improved doubling, while also noting that Humphries has struggled to translate performance levels into trophies this season. William Hill have Price EVS and Humphries 4/5 in what is essentially a coin‑flip. With the Welshman’s quarter‑final form and his ability to drag big hitters into attritional contests, the slight value lies with the Iceman.
Prediction: Price to edge another tight one, 6-4 or 6-5.
Gian van Veen (13/5) v Luke Littler (2/7)
This is the marquee tie of the night: a rematch of the World Championship final and a clash between the league leader and one of the circuit’s most exciting new stars. Littler has now won three of the last four nights and tops the table on 21 points with 11 match wins, having added Berlin to his titles in Glasgow and Rotterdam. Van Veen, meanwhile, is playing well without quite breaking through, sitting sixth on nine points with six wins but no nightly title.
Given that context, it’s no surprise William Hill go 2/7 Littler and 13/5 Van Veen. The Nuke is throwing with enormous freedom, hitting two 170 checkouts in last week’s final – including the clincher – and regularly living in the 100+ average range. Van Veen absolutely has the scoring to trouble him, but over a race to six you have to assume Littler wins this more often than the odds imply against anyone not called van Gerwen.
Prediction: Littler to win; handicap -2.5 and “Littler most 180s” look sensible ways to boost the price.
Jonny Clayton (4/6) v Josh Rock (6/5)
The final quarter‑final is a fascinating test. Jonny Clayton remains second in the table on 19 points with two nightly wins, but his aura of quarter‑final invincibility is gone after defeats to Humphries in Dublin and Rock in Berlin. Rock finally got his first Premier League points last week by upsetting Clayton 6-3, and that breakthrough could free him up for the run‑in.
Despite that recent result, William Hill still have Clayton as 4/6 favourite, with Rock 6/5 to repeat the trick. The Ferret’s overall body of work this season (11 match wins, strong doubling, and a tendency to close out tight legs) justifies that status, but Rock’s power scoring means this is far from a formality. If the Northern Irishman can start fast again, Clayton could be under serious pressure.
Prediction: Clayton to get revenge, but it might need a deciding leg.
Night Prediction
If the favourites oblige, semi‑finals of Van Gerwen v Price and Littler v Clayton would set up a blockbuster Manchester finale, with Littler chasing a fourth nightly win and MVG trying to cement his top‑four spot.
Given current form and the draw, Littler looks the most likely to lift the Night 9 trophy, with Van Gerwen the main danger and Price the best value outsider if he can survive Humphries and then possibly MVG back‑to‑back.
