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The standard is such that Michael van Gerwen, who has won a record seven Premier League titles, is some people’s fourth favourite tonight. Van Gerwen faces the world No1 Luke Humphries – who has won all of their last six meetings – in the second semi-final. Before that the phenomenal Luke Littler, who topped the group stage in his debut season and did we mention he’s bloody 17, faces Michael Smith.
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The Lukes are favourites to meet in the final, as they did at the World Championship in January. That’s pretty remarkable when you consider this is their first Premier League season, never mind their first Finals Night. And they are playing two of the greats. Van Gerwen has qualified for every Finals Night bar one since his debut in 2013; Smith was world champion last year and continues to make 180-hitting look utterly effortless.
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Whoever wins, it will be a great story. Either one of Smith, Humphries and Littler will become the eighth man to win the Premier League, or Van Gerwen will do so for the eighth time himself and make a statement beloved of serial winners: there’s an old sheriff in town.
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Luke Littler v Michael Smith (7.15pm)
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Luke Humphries v Michael van Gerwen (8.15pmish)
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Littler/Smith v Humphries/Van Gerwen (9.30pmish)
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Semi-finals are the best of 19 legs; the final is the best of 21
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important events
preamble
Hello, we are bringing you live leg-by-leg coverage of the epic darts event at the O2 Arena in London. We apologize for any bias due to recent events, but this could be the most fascinating final in Premier League history. Over the next few hours, the top three players in the world will battle it out against the most fearsomely talented 17-year-old in the history of mankind to be crowned Premier League champion.
Seven-time Premier League winner Michael van Gerwen is the fourth favourite tonight to face world number one Luke Humphreys in the second semi-final, having won his last six meetings with the Englishman, ahead of the phenomenal Luke Littler, who topped his group stage in his debut season. And did I mention he was covered in blood?will face Michael Smith.
The Luke brothers are favourites to meet in the final, as they did at the World Championships in January – which is rather surprising given this is their first Premier League season, let alone their first final – and they’ll be up against two of the greats: Van Gerwen has played in all but one final since his debut in 2013, while Smith was last year’s world champion and continues to hit 180s with no difficulty whatsoever.
It will be a great story no matter who wins. Either Smith, Humphries or Littler will become an eighth Premier League winner, or Van Gerwen himself will win his eighth title and make a statement that will be loved by consecutive winners. . “There’s an old sheriff in town.”
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Luke Littler vs. Michael Smith (7:15pm)
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Luke Humphries v Michael van Gerwen (around 8:15 p.m.)
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Littler/Smith v. Humphries/Van Gerwen (Around 9:30 pm)
Semi-finals are best of 19 games, finals are best of 21 games
