Premier League Darts permutations as Michael van Gerwen and Nathan Aspinall lead charge for final Play-Off spot

Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price guaranteed Premier League Darts Play-Off spots, with Michael van Gerwen and Nathan Aspinall leading charge for remaining place; Rob Cross and Chris Dobey still have chance; Stephen Bunting out - watch PL Darts live on Sky Sports

Thursday 15 May 2025 09:39, UK

Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price have secured places in the Premier League Darts Play-Offs, with the last spot up for grabs during the final two nights of the regular season.

Reigning champion Littler - who beat Humphries in last year's final, hitting a nine-dart finish to boot - leads the table on 38 points thanks chiefly to a record five nightly wins.

Humphries (31 points) and Price (24 points) confirmed their top-four positions in Leeds on Night 14 and that trio can now look forward to finals night at London's O2 Arena on Thursday, May 29.

The real intrigue, though, is behind them, with four players - Michael van Gerwen, Nathan Aspinall, Rob Cross and Chris Dobey - still in the running to snatch the fourth and final berth.

Van Gerwen and Aspinall the frontrunners

Seven-time Premier League champion Van Gerwen is fourth in the table on 20 points heading into the penultimate week in Aberdeen on May 15 - where he will play the man one place and point behind him in the standings in Aspinall.

If Van Gerwen were to win the night and claim the full five points, he would wrap up a Play-Off position as he would be an unassailable six points ahead of Aspinall before the final evening of regular action in Sheffield on May 22.

However, if Aspinall were to take the trophy in Aberdeen and move on to 24 points, the only way Van Gerwen would possibly be able to leapfrog him is by winning in Yorkshire a week later.

MVG or Aspinall for the Play-Offs?

Sky Sports’ Dan Dawson:

“You have no idea what Van Gerwen is going to produce and it’s like that visit by visit, leg by leg, match by match.

"He is winning more games than he is losing but it’s not by much because he has a good game, a bad game, a good leg, a bad leg.

“Nathan, at the minute, is a little more consistent. It is still in his own hands and he is often at his best when he has to fight and scrap.

"But he cannot squander gift-wrapped opportunities as he did in Week 14 [when he lost to Luke Littler in the quarter-finals].”

Aspinall vs Van Gerwen two weeks in a row?

As the Night 16 fixtures are determined by league placings at that point - first vs eighth, second vs seventh, third vs sixth and fourth vs fifth - there is the distinct possibility Van Gerwen and Aspinall could meet again in Sheffield.

Van Gerwen could move up to third if he wins the night in Aberdeen and Price is beaten in the quarter-finals by the already-eliminated Stephen Bunting but Aspinall will definitely be fourth or fifth.

Even if Aspinall is defeated by Van Gerwen in Scotland and Cross goes on to win the night and move level on 15 points with Aspinall, 'The Asp' will remain ahead of Cross by virtue of match wins - 11 to Cross' 10.

Cross and Dobey just about afloat

Cross - the only player other than Van Gerwen yet to win a night this season - and Dobey harbour slender Play-Off ambitions but whoever loses their quarter-final in Aberdeen will be out of contention.

Dobey must win the final two nights to have a chance of qualifying for the top four.

Doing that would take him to 22 points and leave him able, if other results go his way, to finish ahead of Van Gerwen, Aspinall and Cross.

Who will top the table?

Littler will wrap that achievement up if he beats second-placed Humphries in the Aberdeen quarter-finals.

Humphries must record at least one nightly win and one final to have a chance of overtaking Littler.

Premier League Darts - remaining league fixtures

Night 15: Aberdeen (May 15)

Quarter-finals

Michael van Gerwen vs Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price vs Stephen Bunting
Chris Dobey vs Rob Cross
Luke Littler vs Luke Humphries

Night 16: Sheffield (May 22)

Fixtures will be based on the league standings after Night 15

Quarter-finals

1st vs 8th
2nd vs 7th
3rd vs 6th
4th vs 5th

Watch Night 15 of Premier League Darts, in Aberdeen, live on Sky Sports Action from 7pm on Thursday May 15. Stream darts and more top sport with NOW - no contract.