Phil Taylor to lock horns with Van Barneveld

GREAT rivals Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld clash as the McCoy’s Premier League Darts visits Glasgow tonight, while Wes Newton, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson continue their battles to avoid relegation from the event at the SECC.

The penultimate league night before the bottom two stars are relegated from the ten-player event sees the world’s top players visit a sold-out SECC, which will host five crucial matches. While the tension comes from the clashes involving players at the bottom of the table, the night also features the meeting of reigning Premier League and World Champion Taylor and current Grand Slam of Darts champion Van Barneveld. The pair have enjoyed many classic duels in the past, most recently in the semi-finals of the World Championship, in a game which saw Van Barneveld hit back from 5-1 down in sets to level before Taylor edged through in a game which was overshadowed by their post-game disagreement on stage.

Dutchman Van Barneveld is joint top of the table alongside fellow countryman Michael van Gerwen, and is bidding to win his first ever Premier League game against Taylor in Glasgow. “We’ve solved what happened at the World Championship and we’re still friends,” said Van Barneveld. “In all these years in the Premier League I’ve never beaten him and only got one draw, so it would be a dream to beat him.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Taylor said: “Of all the players I’ve ever played I think Barney’s my favourite one to play against. Dennis Priestley is probably the best player I’ve ever played against, and Jocky Wilson was probably the most spectacular player, but Barney is probably my favourite.

The opposite end of the league table features a crucial clash as the bottom two players, Wes Newton and Gary Anderson, face off in a game which could decide their hopes of avoiding relegation next week.

Anderson’s fellow Scot Robert Thornton faces Simon Whitlock.

Related topics: