MICHAEL VAN GERWEN is aiming to avenge his double defeats to Daryl Gurney when the pair clash in the Unibet Premier League Play-Offs on Thursday.
Gurney completed a league double over the World Champion with wins in Berlin and Manchester this season, helping the Northern Irish ace to reach the Play-Offs for the first time.
The pair will meet in Thursday's opening semi-final at The O2, where Van Gerwen is gunning to claim a fifth Premier League title.
Whilst either 2018 World Champion Rob Cross or 2009 Premier League winner James Wade would be waiting in the final, Van Gerwen insists that he has first set his sights on overcoming Gurney and making amends for his 7-5 and 8-5 defeats.
"Daryl played really well against me the last two times we played in the Premier League but I'm always confident," said Van Gerwen.
"It's a longer format but I have to do well and we'll see what's going to happen. First to ten is totally different, the pressure will be on his shoulders."
Van Gerwen extended his remarkable record of topping the regular season league table for a seventh successive year by defeating Mensur Suljovic in their final league game in Leeds last Thursday.
However, Van Gerwen had also lost to Wade during the season and suffered three draws, and insisted that he must improve if he is to come through to take the £250,000 top prize at The O2.
"It would be phenomenal to win a fifth Premier League title and it's always a special night in the Play-Offs," said Van Gerwen, who is odds-on with sponsors Unibet to take the title.
"We've been playing for 16 weeks and now it's knockout - it's all or nothing.
"I like to be the favourite but it's a different day. I will be sharp - I have to make sure I don't make any mistakes.
"I know I can do better than I have this season - there is a lot of room for improvement. I let myself down in a few games and I shouldn't have put myself in this position.
"I've still had a 100 average over the season but my concentration level in this Premier League hasn't been as good as in the last three years, so I can only blame myself for that.
"I need to make sure I get focused because it's really important for me to do well."
2019 Unibet Premier League
Play-Offs - Thursday May 23
The O2, London
Semi-Finals
Michael van Gerwen v Daryl Gurney
Rob Cross v James Wade
Final
Van Gerwen/Gurney v Cross/Wade
Tickets: 0844 856 0202 or click here