MICHAEL VAN GERWEN is looking to extend his lead at the top of the McCoy's Premier League Darts when the tournament heads across the Irish Sea to Dublin on Thursday, as Raymond van Barneveld prepares to take on Phil Taylor at The O2.
Van Gerwen's victories over Taylor and James Wade when the tournament visited Sheffield last week saw the debutant move two points clear at the head of the league table.
The Dutch youngster will take on van Barneveld and Adrian Lewis in Dublin, and knows that another double could see him pull clear at the head of the standings with just a month remaining until the Play-Offs.
"I'm top of the table now and I want to keep my place there," said van Gerwen, who also won a Speedy Services UK Open Qualifier on Sunday. "I'm really happy with how I'm playing and I'm very confident at the moment.
"Last week was a difficult night for me but I walked away with four points against Phil Taylor and James Wade, and it would be great to do it again in Dublin.
"I like to play Raymond, and I think it's a game that everyone else likes to see at the moment too because we've had some great matches in the Grand Slam final and at the Premier League earlier this year.
"I'm looking forward to playing Adrian too because he beat me earlier this season, so it would be nice to win this time. It's two big games for me in a great venue and I'm going to enjoy it."
Van Barneveld is looking to avenge his only two defeats this season when he meets van Gerwen and Taylor - who sits in fifth place in the table - at a sold-out O2 in Dublin.
He was defeated 7-3 by van Gerwen in Bournemouth in Week Three and also went down by the same scoreline to Taylor in Glasgow - but is confident that he can claim his first ever Premier League win over the world number one in Dublin.
"This week is going to be interesting!" smiled van Barneveld. "I've got Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor, the number one and two in the world, but I don't mind - you have to play them at some stage so I don't mind playing them both in one night.
"I have to play the board, and I would be really happy to have two draws or one win out of two, and I'll focus on two points. To get four points against both of them would be tough.
"Michael is playing really well but Phil's not been playing his A-game for weeks and he's had three losses out of four weeks. He's really vulnerable and I've got to take advantage of that.
"He's a close friend, but on stage it would be nice to finally beat him in the Premier League. He's class, fantastic, the best ever - but it would give me a good feeling to beat him in the Premier League.
"Michael's proved he can play very good darts, but Adrian Lewis, who's last at the moment, beat him so you never know. If you hit your scores and hit your doubles, anything can happen."
Taylor is also facing an important night in Dublin, as he opens the six matches on the evening against Stoke rival Andy Hamilton before returning to face van Barneveld.
The reigning champion sits a point adrift of the top four after suffering a fourth defeat of the season - for the first time ever - last week to van Gerwen.
Wade and Thornton meet in a clash of two Play-Off contenders, with the Scot aiming to continue his superb debut Premier League season.
"It will be a great crowd and hopefully James and I will bring our best games and give them plenty to cheer," said Thornton. "James' finishing is second to none at the moment, he isn't missing much, so if I bring my A-game then it should be interesting."
Australian ace Whitlock kick-start his Play-Off challenge with a victory over Thornton last week, a win which moved him off the foot of the league table above Lewis, and he meets Hamilton in Dublin.
Whitlock followed up his fine win in Sheffield by seeing off van Gerwen in the final of Saturday's UK Open Qualifier in Wigan, and he said: "I'm feeling confident.
"I'm playing well at the moment and I've been pretty consistent overall this year. Andy got a win over me earlier in the season so I'll be trying to get him back for that, and hopefully I can keep pushing towards the top four."
Thursday's McCoy's Premier League Darts in Dublin will welcome a sell-out crowd of over 9,000 fans to The O2 for the event's second visit to the riverside arena.
The McCoy's Premier League Darts will be live on Sky Sports HD1 from 7pm, as well as through RTL7 in the Netherlands, Sport1 in Germany, OSN across the Middle East, Fox Sports in Australia and online through LIVEPDC.TV.
McCoy's Premier League Darts
Week 11
April 18 – The O2, Dublin
Andy Hamilton v Phil Taylor
Raymond van Barneveld v Michael van Gerwen
Robert Thornton v James Wade
Simon Whitlock v Andy Hamilton
Raymond van Barneveld v Phil Taylor
Michael van Gerwen v Adrian Lewis
Coral Match Odds – Week 11
Andy Hamilton v Phil Taylor
10/3 – Andy Hamilton
4/1 – Draw
8/15 – Phil Taylor
Raymond van Barneveld v Michael van Gerwen
2/1 – Raymond van Barneveld
4/1 - Draw
5/6 – Michael van Gerwen
Robert Thornton v James Wade
7/4 – Robert Thornton
7/2 - Draw
EVS – James Wade
Simon Whitlock v Andy Hamilton
11/10 – Simon Whitlock
7/2 - Draw
8/5 – Andy Hamilton
Raymond van Barneveld v Phil Taylor
11/5 – Raymond van Barneveld
7/2 - Draw
5/6 –Phil Taylor
Michael van Gerwen v Adrian Lewis
8/15 – Michael van Gerwen
4/1 – Draw
10/3 – Adrian Lewis
All odds correct at 12pm on April 16 and courtesy of www.coral.co.uk.
Coral are the Official Betting Partner of McCoy's Premier League Darts.