Gerwyn Price has been told he’s wasting his winning streak by peaking too soon!
The warning – delivered with a smile on his face and tongue-in-cheek – was given by Price’s big rival at the top of the Cazoo Premier League Darts table, Michael van Gerwen.
Welsh thrower Price has been bang on the money for weeks now and will look to prove he’s the best in the world at present when the roadshow hits Manchester on Thursday night.
In recent weeks, The Iceman has frozen out all opposition by storming to the top of the table with some incredible scoring – averaging over 100 on 40 occasions this season.
Even Van Gerwen has been unable to live with that high quality excellence, but the Dutchman says he’s not worried because Price is wasting his best darts.
Like a striker who grabs all his goals before the business end of the football season, Price’s ultra-precision has come too soon, says second-placed Van Gerwen.
“He has been fantastic but I’m happy for him to be playing well now, because when it matters I will be playing the best darts,” says Mighty Mike.
“His form – it’s good. But at the wrong moment of the year!
“He can be good now. In five to six weeks, that little run is over and then I’m there again.
“I’ve been playing well but that’s the last little bit that has to click… It’s not there yet but it has to be at the finals.”
The final of the 2023 Premier League Darts will be played at The O2 in London on May 25 as the top four from the league stage progress through to the play-offs.
Price is currently four points clear of Van Gerwen at the top, with current world champion Michael Smith six points behind Van Gerwen in third.
Then comes Nathan Aspinall and Welshman Jonny Clayton, who look to be battling it out for the last play-off position.
Price and Van Gerwyn will meet in the last quarter-final at the AO Arena in Manchester, after Clayton has kicked things off against Peter Wright.
So far, Price has won three of his five meetings with Van Gerwen in the Premier League. Price also won their recent duel at the International Darts Open final at the start of April.
There was a time when Price couldn’t get near his nemesis. In their first 19 meetings in professional darts, Van Gerwen won the lot.
But since the 2019 Grand Slam of Darts semi-final, Price has won 13 of their 24 meetings and his repeated averaging of 100-plus extends to 20 of his last 24 matches.
That incredible consistency will boost optimism among fans of The Ice Man that he can do the business again against Van Gerwen.
The two men have been head and shoulders above the rest in the Premier League, although Smith currently leads the PDC Oder of Merit, with Wright in second, and Van Gerwyn and Price third and fourth, respectively.
Night 14 – Thursday May 4
AO Arena, Manchester
Quarter-Finals
Peter Wright vs Jonny Clayton
Chris Dobey vs Dimitri Van den Bergh
Michael Smith vs Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price vs Michael van Gerwen
