Nathan Aspinall is hoping to fulfil one of his darting dreams by confirming his BetMGM Premier League Play-Off qualification in Sheffield tonight.
Aspinall will take on Michael van Gerwen in a crunch quarter-final clash at the Utilita Arena, as the pair bid to join Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price in next week’s Play-Offs.
The Stockport star boasts a four-point lead over the Dutch superstar ahead of Night 16 in the Steel City, therefore victory would confirm Aspinall’s place at The O2 in London on Thursday May 29.
“Every time I play Michael, it feels different to when I play any other dart player in the world,” insisted Aspinall.
“Michael is the player I aspired to be when I started playing darts, and now I’m playing him in the Premier League and beating him!
“To walk on stage to play in a do-or-die game against probably one of my idols – it is special.”
Aspinall has won four of his five meetings against Van Gerwen in this year’s Premier League, including each of the last three.
Their most recent encounter saw Aspinall run out a 6-3 winner in Aberdeen seven days ago, which provided the catalyst for his Night 15 success on Scottish soil.
The 33-year-old missed out on Play-Off qualification in cruel fashion last season, suffering back-to-back defeats to his top four rival Michael Smith.
However, he’s hoping roles will be reversed this time around, as he bids to secure his place at Finals Night for the first time since his debut campaign five years ago.
“Beating Michael last week certainly gives me a lot of confidence going into the night,” added Aspinall, also a nightly winner in Manchester last month.
“Compare it to last year, when Michael Smith beat me on Night 15, then I had to play him again the week after.
“You’re going into that game thinking: ‘Don’t play like that again Nathan!’ It’s different to last year. This time I’m the Michael Smith!
“I’m feeling confident, so hopefully history repeats itself and I can produce the same result on Thursday night.”
Despite featuring in the Play-Offs back in 2020, Aspinall was forced to battle it out for the coveted title in the behind-closed-doors setting of Coventry’s Ricoh Arena.
Having built a reputation for thriving on the biggest stages, it was a far cry from the partisan atmosphere of The O2 – an occasion that Aspinall is desperate to experience.
“It would be a dream come true,” continued the former World Matchplay champion.
“I’ve got a few dreams in life – I want to be World Champion, I want to play for England, and I want to play at The O2.
“I believe this Premier League has been the most competitive that I’ve ever played in, and if I were to finish in the top four after all the scrutiny, it would be right up there for me.
“The job is not done yet though, and I alluded to that last Thursday. Everybody knows what’s at stake and what I need to do.”
For Van Gerwen, the equation is simple. Only a nightly victory will be enough to preserve his hopes of capturing a record-extending eighth Premier League crown.
The 36-year-old has not registered a nightly victory since April 2024, and he’s under no illusions about the task awaiting him in Sheffield.
“It’s a must-win situation,” conceded the three-time World Champion, who has only missed out on Play-Off qualification once in his previous 12 Premier League appearances.
“I’ve made too many mistakes early on and I’ve put myself in an incredibly tough position.
"Of course it's going to be a massive night for me, and I can't afford to fail again, or I will be out of the tournament.
"It has been a real battle, but I've had a good combination of rest and practice over the last few days to make sure I'm ready to do what I need to do.
“I always keep fighting and I never give up. It is so important to keep believing in yourself, and that is what I'm still doing!"
The 2025 BetMGM Premier League will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK & Ireland, through the PDC's worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV for Rest of the World Subscribers (outside of the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria & Switzerland).
2025 BetMGM Premier League
Night 16 - Thursday May 22
Utilita Arena, Sheffield
Quarter-Finals
Luke Littler v Stephen Bunting
Nathan Aspinall v Michael van Gerwen
Luke Humphries v Rob Cross
Gerwyn Price v Chris Dobey
Semi-Finals
Littler/Bunting v Aspinall/Van Gerwen
Humphries/Cross v Price/Dobey
Final
v
All matches best of 11 legs
