Peter Wright will be hoping that a partisan Scottish crowd can roar him to victory in Week Three of the Premier League, but that looks like a tall order.
The struggling Scot has yet to pick up a point over the first two nights of the campaign and plays tournament favourite Michael van Gerwen in his quarter-final in Glasgow, seven days after Mighty Mike triumphed in Berlin.
Rob Cross and table-topper Michael Smith open up proceedings at the OVO Hydro, while the other two ties feature Nathan Aspinall against Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price taking on Luke Littler.
- Rob Cross to beat Michael Smith
- Nathan Aspinall +1.5 versus Luke Humphries
- Michael van Gerwen to win Week 3
Voltage Can Spark Into Life Against Smith
Few players finished 2023 throwing better than Cross, who would be rewarded for his consistency by reaching the World Championship semis.
This year, however, it’s all a bit of a struggle with just one Premier League win to his name - against Wright on the opening night - and only one other win in the other three televised events.
Smith, in fairness, isn’t doing much better, but did flex his muscles in Week One in Cardiff when he took the spoils.
Bully Boy is favourite, yet neither is particularly consistent and Cross boasts a resounding head-to-head advantage having won four of their five Premier League tussles and nine of their last 12 in all events.
ROB CROSS TO BEAT MICHAEL SMITH
Asp A Slippery Challenge For Humphries
Humphries is another player below his best, maybe suffering a hangover from his Alexandra Palace glory at the start of January.
He hasn’t played well on the TV over the last few weeks and at the first Players Championship double header of the year in Wigan earlier this week he was hammered 6-0 by Ian White in less than 15 minutes.
He is adamant his form will return and who would doubt a player who was irresistible during last year.
But for now his numbers are down and his confidence has dropped and that has to offer Aspinall hope that he can give the world champ a proper working over.
Aspinall has played two, lost two so far, but certainly should have beaten Van Gerwen from a 4-1 lead last Thursday. He can land handicap honours in his quarter-final in Glasgow.
MVG Looking Lean For Hydro Heroics
Van Gerwen is in great nick this year, having reached finals in four of the five events he has entered, winning two.
One of those was at last week’s Premier League showdown in Germany, where the Dutchman got stronger as the night went on.
He needed a spot of luck in the final against Littler, but the youngster is a test for anyone and it would be no surprise if the two men weren’t contesting the five points in the final at the Hydro as well.
Van Gerwen has a very winnable opener against Wright and he’s a very hard man to stop when his gander is up.
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN TO WIN WEEK 3
