Premier League Darts Night 15 tips and predictions: Michael Smith to claim vital night win in Leeds

With Luke Humphries and Luke Littler securing their places in the play-offs in Aberdeen, the race is on to secure the final two spots, with Van Gerwen, Smith and Aspinall separated by just three points with two nights of regular action left. 

Van Gerwen is the benficiary of the easier draw on paper as he opens the tungsten action in Leeds against last week's absentee Gerwyn Price, while messrs Smith and Aspinall face off in the night's final quarter-final, which has the potential to define the season for both players. 

In the other quarter-finals, Littler looks to strengthen his grip on top spot when he takes on bottom-of-the-table Peter Wright and Humphries takes on Rob Cross, who looks to keep his slim play-off hopes alive.

 

Night 15 quarter-finals (1900 BST)

Michael Van Gerwen vs Gerwyn Price

Luke Littler vs Peter Wright

Luke Humphries vs Rob Cross

Nathan Aspinall vs Michael Smith

 

Van Gerwen looks to take advantage of the fact that one of his nearest rivals will be sent packing from Leeds with no points, when he takes on Price in the night's opening quarter-final. 

It's hardly been vintage Van Gerwen over the course of the tournament as since his three consecutive nights wins in nights 2-4, he's picked up just seven points across 10 nights. 

Price saw his slim play-off hopes evaporate to dust last week as he had to miss the action in Aberdeen due to a back injury. 

The Iceman is now simply playing for pride, but we think a fired up Van Gerwen will get the better of the 2021 world champion in a repeat of the 2023 Premier League final.

Table-topper Littler takes on Wright in the second quarter-final of the night and a win here could secure top spot for the teenage sensation. 

After night wins in Liverpool and Aberdeen, the 17-year-old is now eight points clear at the top, with Humphries the only player who can mathematically catch him. 

Wright is the darting lame duck, with the former two-time world champion failing to hit the mark since minute one of his campaign, winning just two games across the 14 nights so far, while Littler has won a whopping 21. 

We can only see this one going one way and a comfortable 6-2 win for The Nuke is currently at 7/2, a price not to be sneered at. 

In the other half of the draw, world champion Humphries, who has already qualified for the play-offs, takes on Cross, who has found his spark in recent weeks. 

Humphries was the lucky receiver of a bye to the semi-final last week after Price's injury but Voltage dispatched the world number one to reach his second consecutive nightly final, however he lost to Littler once again. 

Cross is seven points behind MVG and will realistically have to pick up a night win here to keep him in the mix for the play-offs. 

On paper this tie is a daunting one for Cross, but Cool Hand Luke has won just two of the quarter-finals he has played since night eight in Dublin, therefore we think Voltage will continue his good form with a win here.

The final quarter-final sees third take on fifth as Aspinall meets Smith. 

Smith will be coming into this one with confidence after winning his first ranking title in 11 months in Monday's Players Championship event at Hildesheim.

Meanwhile, the Asp left Aberdeen with no points and faces an anxious couple of weeks as he looks to banish the memories of narrowly missing out on last year's play-offs. 

The two have a pretty even head-to-head record, with Smith leading it 10-9, however their two meetings in this year's competition have gone the way of the Asp. 

Both players have had a knack of picking up points when they're not at their best this season but we're backing Smith to edge this one given his previous experience in situations like this, which is epitomised by Bully Boy claiming three of the last four nights last season to make a late charge for the play-offs.

We're also hedging our bets on the 2023 world champion to grab his first night win since night 1 too, especially given that Bully Boy has won four times against The Nuke in the competition.

 

Suggested bets: 

Michael Smith to win night 15

Luke Littler to beat Peter Wright 6-2

Rob Cross to beat Luke Humphries