Michael van Gerwen is under pressure to claim his first win over Glen Durrant tonight in Milton Keynes on Night 14 of the Unibet Premier League.
Five-time Premier League champion Van Gerwen finds himself out of the top four having lost four of his last six matches.
With just three nights left to play, the Dutchman can barely afford any further slip-ups if he is to avoid missing out on the Play-Offs for the first time.
A crushing 8-1 defeat to Peter Wright last night ensured that Van Gerwen will not finish top of the league phase for the first time, a run stretching back to his 2013 debut campaign.
Top spot is currently occupied by debutant Durrant, who has won all three of the pair's previous meetings, the most recent of which came on Night Eight at the Marshall Arena on August 26.
Despite all eyes being on Van Gerwen due to his poor recent form, the Dutchman boasts a higher tournament average and checkout accuracy than tonight's opponent.
However, Durrant has a healthier percentage of legs won in the tournament, reflected in his +27 leg-difference in comparison to Van Gerwen's 0.
With Durrant currently enjoying a nine-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, Van Gerwen will have to recapture his best form if he is to pick up what would be a huge two points in his top four battle.
Sky Sports pundit Wayne Mardle commented: "This game is all about Michael. All the pressure is on him.
"To an extent there is no pressure on Glen, we know he will play his usual game and won't be flustered.
"At the moment Michael is looking uncomfortable on the stage. He needs to find a way to relax and play his natural game and he's got to do it now."
Live coverage of Unibet Premier League Night 14 will be shown on Sky Sports, as well as through the PDC's international broadcast partners including RTL7 and DAZN and for PDCTV Rest of the World Subscribers.
Unibet Premier League Night 14
Thursday September 3
Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes
Gerwyn Price v Daryl Gurney
Gary Anderson v Michael Smith
Peter Wright v Nathan Aspinall
Glen Durrant v Michael van Gerwen
