Unstoppable Van Gerwen earns third consecutive Premier League victory

Van Gerwen also won in Glasgow last week and has now furthered his lead in the standings.

Catch up on all the action from Thursday night's BetMGM Premier League action:

Final

Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Michael van Gerwen

Aspinall grabbed the break straight away. Thus, the Englishman started the match very well.

Van Gerwen opened with a 180 and 140 and was now in control of his own leg. 41 was left after nine darts and that went out in 11. Van Gerwen had every chance for the rebreak with 40 left in the fourth leg. And he seized the opportunity, hitting tops with the second dart in hand.

Van Gerwen needed to throw out 130 in his leg, as Aspinall was on 60. He did not, but Aspinall missed two doubles. Van Gerwen threw out 5 to make it 3-2.

Aspinall needed to throw out 154 in the sixth leg to make it 3-3. Van Gerwen hit a 10-darter and took the break: 4-2.

Aspinall falls just short

Van Gerwen kept going. Aspinall had to throw out 120 as the Dutchman was already waiting for 60. That did not happen and so it became 5-2.

Aspinall returned the favour in his own leg by throwing out tops. Aspinall fought his way back by throwing out the big fish. The maximum 170 finish was thrown out beautifully for a rebreak: 5-4.

Van Gerwen could have thrown out the match on 90, but did not get a match dart. 52 had Aspinall standing, but he missed. Van Gerwen threw out double 18 and also won in Newcastle: 6-4.

Semi-finals

Luke Littler 5-6 Michael van Gerwen

The match started with low scores, but almost with a high finish. Twice triple 18 and double 16 was sought, but double 16 was not thrown for a 140 finish.

After 17 darts, double 8 went out for a 1-0 lead for the Englishman. Van Gerwen hit back by throwing out 127 via bullseye. The third leg also went with the darts as Littler threw out double 3.

Van Gerwen had no trouble with his leg either. He had 36 left, where Littler was still in the 200. Double 18 went out for the 2-2. In the fifth leg, Littler threw the first 180. He had 60 left, but did not throw out. Van Gerwen had 86 left and got two break darts on double 16. He missed, but Littler missed three arrows from 40. Van Gerwen grabbed the break via double 2 and was 3-2 ahead.

Exciting end

Where the average was only around 90, Van Gerwen started to throw a bit better. Throwing 180 left him with 87, which went out in two arrows: 4-2. Littler was still struggling to throw the 4-3. Via double 10 he threw out 60. He threw his second 180 in Van Gerwen's leg, but the Dutchman responded with his second maximum score as well. He then threw 129 to leave 58. In 11 darts, tops finally went out and it became 5-3.

Littler opened the ninth leg with 180. Van Gerwen also threw his third maximum score. Littler left 94 and threw it out via double 10: 5-4. Van Gerwen missed three match darts and Littler faced 89. That did not go out, but Van Gerwen missed three match darts again. 25 did go out and so it was 5-5.

Van Gerwen had 132 left, Littler 110. Van Gerwen did not throw out, Littler did not get a match dart either. The Dutchman made it 6-5 and reached the final for the third time in a row.

Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Rob Cross

Cross set the bar high with a 180 as the first score. In 12 arrows, Cross threw out a rock-solid leg to make it 1-0.

Aspinall also started his leg with a 180. Aspinall was on 41 after nine arrows, but did not throw a 12 darter. He left 16 and there came some pressure from a 180 from Cross. Aspinall simply threw out and got to 1-1. Cross threw a maximum score in the third leg. As a result, he left 88 and threw that out via triple 20 double 14. That made it 2-1.

It was his second 12-darter. Aspinall also threw another 180 in his leg and left 86. Double 16 and 8 went wrong, but Cross was still on 325. Double 4 made it 2-2. Aspinall put pressure on Cross' leg by throwing his third 180. Cross did not throw 121 over and so Aspinall got the first break darts. He made a mistake on the single 10 and only got one dart. Double 4 did not go over, but Cross missed that double as well. Aspinall threw it now and took the break: 3-2.

Aspinall played a good match

Aspinall failed to get 96 out in the sixth leg, so Cross got a break arrow on 72. However, double 16 failed to hit and so Aspinall took the 4-2 via 16 and tops and cashed in the break. Aspinall was throwing over 105 on average. Aspinall threw 140 three times and left 81 in Cross' leg. He missed twice more double 12 to throw out 81, but was allowed to come back for it. He missed three more chances and Cross threw out 110 and kept his own leg: 4-3.

Aspinall had 68 left and Cross 60. Under a lot of pressure, Aspinall threw it out via double 4 and was on match point: 5-3.

Cross threw his fourth 180, allowing him to quickly get to a finish. He left 32 and threw that out via double 16 for the 5-4.

Cross opened with 180 in Aspinall's leg, but Aspinall replied with the same score. Aspinall left 94. That didn't go out, but didn't have to. He came back for double 12. He missed that one and so did double 6. So he missed three match darts. Cross got one break arrow, but missed double 16 narrowly. Double 3 went in for Aspinall and he made it to the final.

Quarter-finals

Michael Smith 5-6 Nathan Aspinall

Nathan Aspinall started the match well with two 140s. After 12 darts there was still 24 on the board and that went out after 15 darts via double 6.

Michael Smith threw the first 180 in the second leg and Aspinall immediately followed with his first maximum score as well. Smith left 170 and almost threw it out, only the bullseye did not go well. Aspinall failed to throw out 96 and so Smith was allowed to come back on 25. Via double 10 it became 1-1.

Aspinall opened again with two 140s, but Smith with 135 and 180. Aspinall did not have 164 out and so Smith got break darts on 46. That went out in two arrows via tops for a 2-1 lead.

Aspinall threw his second 180 in the fourth leg and took the lead from Smith. He left tops, where Smith put out 152. That did not go out, but Aspinall missed three darts on the double. 94 didn't go out for Smith either and so The Asp came back. This time it went well and he took the rebreak via double 5: 2-2.

Aspinall remained sloppy on the doubles as 60 did not go out. 62 did go out for Smith and so came the third break in a row: 3-2.

Poor but exciting match

Smith was sloppy on his own turn, as with 42 left he missed five darts on the double. Aspinall also failed to throw out with two darts for tops and so Smith was allowed to come back for double 1, but missed again. Aspinall had tops left and threw out for the fourth break in a row: 3-3.

Aspinall had no problems in his own leg through a 180 and 140. He did miss five darts on the double again, but double 1 went out for a 4-3 lead. Smith also had little trouble in his leg, throwing 59 out in two arrows to make it 4-4.

In the ninth leg, Aspinall threw 140 with 210 left in a very important moment to leave 70. That went out in two arrows via triple 18 and double 8: 5-4.

Smith made it 5-5 by throwing double 18 and so came an all-decisive 11th leg. Aspinall got the first match dart on tops. 72 did not go out as a result. On 100, Smith also got a match dart, but double 10 went wrong. Aspinall hit double 10 to win 6-5.

Rob Cross 6-5 Luke Humphries

Rob Cross started the match well. He left 36 and hit double 18 to lead 1-0. Luke Humphries continued to throw poorly and also allowed Cross to break. Double 4 made it 2-0 for Voltage. Humphries came back into the match as 117 went out. And that was handsome, as Cross was facing 32. Humphries started with four triples in the first two innings, taking the initiative in his leg. 92 went out and with that, Humphries threw out in 12 darts: 2-2.

 Humphries had 70 left and was able to go for the break and grabbed it in two darts. Triple 18 and double 8 went out. That's how Cool Hand Luke turned the match around. Cross completely lost it and couldn't find a triple. Humphries continued to score. He also hit his fourth dart on the double and stayed clear. Double 16 went out for a 4-2 lead.

Cross turns the match around

In the seventh leg, Cross left 96 and it had to go out as Humphries waited for tops. He had two chances at double 18 and threw it out: 4-3.

Humphries found six triples in his first three innings and left 84 after nine arrows. That went out in three darts despite missing double 12. Via double 6 it became 5-3 and thus match point. Humphries threw the first 180 in the ninth leg, but Cross had the initiative in his leg. Cross failed to throw out 117, but neither did Humphries 120. Cross came back for 20 and threw it out via double 10: 5-4.

Cross had a chance for the break on 121 via bullseye. He missed, but Humphries failed to throw out 89. Cross had two break chances and threw out double 4 for 5-5. It went to a decisive 11th leg. Cross won the match by throwing out 79 via tops. That made it 6-5.

Peter Wright 6-5 Luke Littler

It was a promising start to the match. Luke Littler and Peter Wright both threw 180 in the first leg. Littler left 65 in the leg he started and had one arrow for tops and that was enough to win the leg: 1-0.

Littler grabbed the break right away as he threw out 100 handsomely via two tops. He threw a 180 on top. Wright threw that one too. Littler left 170 and that too almost went out. He did not throw a bullseye. He then didn't throw out double 10 either and so Wright got the first arrow on the double. Double 16 went out for 2-1.

Littler also threw 180 in the fourth leg and got a dart on bullseye for the break. That went wrong, but Wright did not throw 80 out. Littler also failed to throw a double 5 and so the Scot was allowed to come back. He threw tops and made it 2-2. Littler again left 170 and this time he threw it out.

Very high level

Wright threw a great match, but Littler was otherworldly. Wright had 98 left after nine arrows, but did not throw out. Littler did throw 81 and took the break: 4-2. The Scot threw 108 average and threw another 180 in the seventh leg. Snakebite took the rebreak by throwing out double 8. Wright threw a good leg of his own and came all the way back. Tops went out for the 4-4.

The scoring power continued in the ninth leg. Littler failed to throw out 36 and so Wright had chances for the break. 47 went out via double 10 for a 5-4 lead. Wright threw a 180 in the tenth leg and got 62 a chance to win the match. Double 16 went awry and Littler waited for 85. That went out in two darts for the rebreak and so another deciding leg came. In it, Littler threw 180 to win the match as the gap became too big. He threw out 64 via tops and won a match of a very high standard. Littler threw 104 average, Wright just over 103. It was 6-5.

Gerwyn Price 4-6 Michael van Gerwen

Michael van Gerwen started the match well, throwing out Gerwyn Price's leg in 13 arrows. He also threw the first 180 in that leg. He also found the maximum score in the second leg. Price almost threw a stunning 132. Twice he hit the bullseye, but double 16 went wrong. Van Gerwen threw out double 18 for 2-0. Price threw his first 180 in the third leg and easily got to leg win. Double 10 made it 2-1.

Van Gerwen threw another 180 in the fourth leg. He had no problems with Price in that leg and pitched 3-1 via double 5. Price threw 180 in the fifth leg, but Van Gerwen stayed close. Van Gerwen had 164 standing, but missed bullseye. Price had 117 left and threw that out to stay in the match. That made it 3-2. Van Gerwen started with two 180s, but missed the seventh arrow. Price was far behind and via double 6 it became a 12-darter: 4-2.

107 average

Van Gerwen also threw out 110 for the break and was pitching over 110 average. An insane performance. Price threw another 180 and Van Gerwen missed a match dart on double 7. Via tops, Price grabbed the break and made it 5-3. Price came back into the match as 78 also went out. Via double 12 it became 5-4. Van Gerwen was on 92 after 12 arrows, but missed double 16 twice. Price had 105 left and also missed. Van Gerwen then finished the match and won 6-4. He threw over 107 average.