Premier League Darts: All-Dutch affair to leave Barney in peril
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Raymond van Barneveld’s 144 checkout during his 7-4 win over Phil Taylor epitomised the reigning Premier League champion’s show of defiance in Glasgow, but after facing his compatriot in Dublin he could well slip back into the bottom two.
With unbeaten leader Michael Van Gerwen his next opponent and world champion Gary Anderson waiting at the end of the first phase; it’s truly a nightmarish run-in for Barney.
The Dutchman’s four losses in seven matches have left him staring down an ignominious exit after only nine weeks, though having hurdled Taylor last time out, he may well have fancied any another opponent than MVG in Ireland.
As it is, he’ll step up to the oche against a virtually unstoppable force at Dublin’s 3Arena, as Van Gerwen’s skinny odds of 4/9 and Barney’s slightly chunkier price of 4/1 for victory reveal.
Mighty Mike has claimed five wins and two draws this season and arrives fresh from securing his second European Tour title of 2015, to compliment his Masters and UK Open crowns in the calender year.
Elsewhere Barney’s potential slide back into the red zone before Manchester is made more plausible by Adrian Lewis’ match-up with Dave Chisnall.
Although Chizzy is riding high he’s lost six of the last seven encounters with the former PDC world champ, a one-sided sequence beginning with their last Premier League clash just over a year ago and his last two Prem matches after a flying start.
Lewis’ odds of 11/10 therefore appeal greatly despite his own chequered form.
Taylor will be expected to hit back against rock bottom Kim Huybrechts and after sending nine 180s into the lipstick in Glasgow, the 6/5 about The Power outscoring the Belgian in that count looks a cracker.
The Flying Scotsman is expected to consign mid table Stephen Bunting to a fourth defeat of the campaign, while draw specialists Peter Wright and James Wade ending all square has plenty of charm attached at 7/2.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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