Week one of the new look Darts Premier League saw Peter Wright put in a commanding performance to win the first mini-tournament and claim five points for the table.
Cardiff was the setting as Snakebite averaged 133 in the final to beat local favourite Jonny Clayton, who now collects three points for the table to occupy second place in this PDC event.
Despite posting such a high average, the league leader still complained about his darts and claims he will carry on switching them.
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Points on the night also went to the two losing semi-finalists James Wade and Gary Anderson, with nothing so far awarded to Gerwyn Price or Michael van Gerwen.
But what can we expect from Night Two in Liverpool when some of the best darts players go head to head? Looking for 2022 premier league darts night 3 betting tips? Get the latest picks, predictions and preview of the festivities.
What’s previously happened at the 2022 Darts Premier League:
Night 1
Night 3
Night 4
Peter Wright v Michael van Gerwen
The evening gets underway with Peter Wright taking on Michael van Gerwen.
Mighty Mike is still seeking his first points after his opening day defeat to Gary Anderson.
World champion Wright opened up his campaign by averaging 100 against a disappointing Michael Smith in a repeat of the Ally Pally final, before seeing off Anderson 6-5 in the semi-finals.
On current form, Snakebite looks to have the edge, having won their past three matches and by quite sizeable margins too.
The Scotsman was in hot form last week in Wales following a shift from his “fat” darts and, even though he is likely to change gear again, a fourth successive victory could be on the cards here.
In all, Wright has lost just three of his last 35 matches and looked red hot in the Welsh capital. You would expect to see him beat Michael van Gerwen, who cannot buy a win right now.
Snakey will face the winner of match two between Jonny Clayton and Michael Smith.
Jonny Clayton v Michael Smith
Jonny Clayton opened up his defence of his Premier League title with two impressive wins before being outplayed by Snakebite in last week’s final.
Michael Smith, on the other hand, simply never got started but, like Clayton last week, has what is basically a home crowd behind him this time around.
Unusually, Bully Boy didn’t land a single 180 in week one, while Clayton, despite being overwhelmed in the final, looked in good shape as he saw off Joe Cullen and James Wade with relative ease.
Smith needs to seriously up his game if he is to get the better of the Ferret who looks the favourite to move into the last four unless Bully Boy rediscovers his best form in time.
James Wade v Joe Cullen
The other side of this week’s draw opens with James Wade and Premier League of Darts debutant Joe Cullen facing off.
Wade pulled off an opening night upset as he took the points over the world number one and home favourite Gerwyn Price in a match where neither player hit an average above 90, although the Machine did pin three 100+ checkouts.
Cullen was dismissed with ease by Jonny Clayton on his first Premier League appearance a week ago but has beaten Wade three times in the four occasions they have met since 2018 and won’t have a hostile crowd against him this week.
With last week’s experience behind him, we can expect a close match with the Rockstar, who did shoot five 180s and a 102 checkout on his solitary DPL appearance, just about edging it so long as he improves on his doubles.
Gerwyn Price v Gary Anderson
The last quarter-final of the night sees Gerwyn Price take on Gary Anderson.
The Flying Scotsman has points on the board after beating Michael van Gerwen 6-4 last week.
Anderson averaged just 91 compared to his opponent’s 96 but took the victory due to being better at the doubles as MVG missed six out of ten.
The Iceman has won four out of their last five encounters but will need to do much better if he is to continue the streak.
Last week in Cardiff, Price looked nothing less than flat, possibly weighed down by expectation in front of his own fans, while Anderson can take heart from beating van Gerwen before a narrow defeat to eventual winner Peter Wright in a deciding semi-final leg.
Price is likely to return to being the boo boy and pantomime villain. While he is unlikely to enjoy the reception, it does seem to bring the best out of him, which will be important as must surely get some points on the board this week before his campaign derails.
Should Price progress he could have a chance to get revenge on James Wade — if the Machine overcomes Joe Cullen — which could lead to an all Welsh final with the Iceman claiming all five points and the cash to finally get his title challenge up and running.
bet365 darts betting prices
Peter Wright (8/13) V (13/10) Michael van Gerwen
Jonny Clayton (4/6) V (6/5) Michael Smith
James Wade (6/5) V (4/6) Joe Cullen
Gerwyn Price (4/9) V (7/4) Gary Anderson
Premier League of Darts Table
| Player | Nights Won | Matches Won | Leg Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Wright | 1 | 3 | 9 | 5 |
| Jonny Clayton | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Gary Anderson | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| James Wade | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Michael van Gerwen | 0 | 0 | -2 | 0 |
| Michael Smith | 0 | 0 | -3 | 0 |
| Gerwyn Price | 0 | 0 | -3 | 0 |
| Joe Cullen | 0 | 0 | -4 | 0 |
QUICK GLANCE AT THE PREMIER LEAGUE OF DARTS WEEK 2
Venue: M & S Arena, Liverpool
Dates: 10/02/2022
Format: Best of 11 legs (first to six)
Current Champion: Jonny Clayton
Where To Watch: Sky Sports Main Event HD & Sky Sports Arena HD
When To Watch: 19:00 UK