Premier League Darts Night 12 tips and predictions: Michael Van Gerwen to go back-to-back on home soil

Van Gerwen returned to the party last week and pooped Luke Littler's when he beat the 17-year-old in the final in Birmingham, denying The Nuke his third successive night win. 

It was a good time for the Dutchman to return to form with a boisterous home crowd awaiting the seven-time Premier League champion in Rotterdam this week. 

He'll face off with world champion Luke Humphries in the final quarter-final of the night, while it's another Michael and Luke face off at the top of the draw, when Littler and Smith open the night.

Elsewhere, Gerwyn Price looks to recover from his loss in the International Darts Open final when he faces an out-of-form Rob Cross and Nathan Aspinall looks to strengthen his grip on the final play-off spot when he takes on Peter Wright.

 

Night 12 quarter-final schedule (1900 BST)

Michael Smith vs Luke Littler

Rob Cross vs Gerwyn Price

Peter Wright vs Nathan Aspinall

Michael Van Gerwen vs Luke Humphries

 

Night 12 opens with league leader Littler taking on 2023 world champion Smith.

Smith has the better of Littler in this year's Premier League, winning three of their four encounters. 

However, all those came before The Nuke found his mojo in this tournament, with the teenage sensation reaching three consecutive night finals, two of which resulted in wins. 

Smith's form has been patchy across the tournament and is in fifth just two points off Aspinall, who occupies the final play-off spot. 

Despite his poor head-to-head record against Bully Boy, we're backing The Nuke to get the job done and pick up more points.

In the other quarter-final in this half of the draw, Price is looking to bounce back from the disappointment of losing to Martin Schindler in the International Darts Open final when he takes on 2018 world champion Cross in the quarter-finals.

Price has been getting back to his best form lately and will be the favourite for this one given that Cross' last Premier League win came in night six.

We're backing Price for this one as his form in recent weeks has been more like The Iceman that finished top of the league phase last year.

In the other half of the draw basement boy Wright takes on play-off chasing Aspinall.

Aspinall will have been disappointed with his quarter-final exit last time out and it was a double whammy as Smith gained points on The Asp in the race for fourth.

However, the world number four will see this as an opportunity to solidify his position in the play-offs, especially given that Smith has a tougher quarter-final draw.

Meanwhile, Wright has shown signs of improvement in recent weeks and found himself 4-1 up against Humphries last week, but he couldn't see out a victory, with nothing seemingly going Snakebite's way at the moment, we're backing The Asp here.

They've saved the best for last for the Dutch crowd, as home favourite Van Gerwen takes on world number one Humphries.

Van Gerwen will have momentum on his side after his win in Birmingham, his first night win since Newcastle in February.

Since his win in night eight, Humphries has won just one league match and hasn't looked like himself in recent weeks.

His win against Wright last week saw Cool Hand have some luck on his side, with Wright missing plenty of doubles leaving the door ajar for the world champion. 

With a home crowd behind him and Humphries not at his best in recent weeks, we're backing MVG for this one and with a raucous Dutch faithful behind him we think he could go all the way once again and collect his fifth night win of the year.

 

Suggested bets

Michael Van Gerwen to win night 12

Michael Van Gerwen and Luke Littler to make the final

Gerwyn Price to beat Rob Cross