ROD HARRINGTON previews night five of the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts.
The Sky Sports expert, in his MatchroomBets.com video preview, looks at each of the four games to be played on Thursday at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle.
Match odds and other prices are available from Boylesports - the official betting partner of the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts.
Click here to see Rod Harrington's video preview
So Far...
The Whyte & Mackay Premier League is really taking shape now, Mervyn King is still at the top and three points clear so whatever happens this week against Phil Taylor he will stay top.
At the bottom, Jelle Klaasen and Wayne Mardle are under pressure and they really need to put points on the board.
If they don't, come the back end of the Premier League it's going to make it really tough for them to make the top four.
Last week in Belfast we saw some brilliant games and James Wade and Phil Taylor was the pick of the bunch.
Wade ended up beating Taylor 8-4 with a great performance.
The all-important leg of the game was just before the break when Phil had four clear darts to make it 3-3, James nicked the leg and went in 4-2 up and then held his throw so the Power could do nothing about it - great win for James Wade.
Another great win for Raymond van Barneveld too - he seemed to be getting his form together against an in-form Terry Jenkins and that was a fine performance.
The Matches...
Jelle Klaasen v James Wade
Wade is on fire and I cannot see any other winner than James in this one.
What Klaasen needs to do is take the chances he's giving himself.
He's scoring well enough but then missing the odd dart at a double and you cannot do that in this format and against these class players.
James Wade in the last couple of weeks against Raymond van Barneveld and Phil Taylor has possibly played the best he has ever played and I can only see him winning.
I also think that Wade to hit more 180s than Jelle at 9/10 is a good bet.
Boylesports.com Odds
Klaasen 9/2, Wade 4/11, Draw 5/1
Phil Taylor v Mervyn King
Mervyn King is top of the league and that's where Taylor wants to be.
In Germany at the weekend Taylor won both events and played brilliantly, right at the top of his game - he didn't just beat some good players, he absolutely beat them up.
King didn't attend Germany - rightly or wrongly we will see after Thursday night. I personally think he should've gone to keep his form going and setting up and taking out the doubles which has took him to the top of the league.
I see Taylor running away with this game if King is not on the top of his game.
A good bet in this match is over the 120.5 checkout at 9/10 which is bound to go.
Boylesports.com Odds
Taylor 2/7, King 11/2, Draw 11/2
Wayne Mardle v Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond played exceptionally well against Terry Jenkins last week, a fine performance as Jenkins is on fire himself at the moment.
Barney will walk into this game feeling confident, but like King he didn't travel to Germany and I think that's wrong.
When you are looking to get your form back and get that consistency you need to play every tournament you can.
Wayne Mardle also missed Germany and didn't play well last week - he didn't get into the game and wasn't feeling too good.
He's now under pressure sitting second bottom of the league and he's not going to get anything out of Barney this week because Raymond is on fire and is going to be all guns blazing against Wayne, who needs to set the shots up and take them out.
A bit like Klaasen he's giving himself chances at doubles but just not taking them.
Against Barney, if Mardle doesn't take his chances, the Dutchman will win convincingly.
Boylesports.com Odds
Mardle 7/1, Barneveld 2/9, Draw 6/1
John Part v Terry Jenkins
John Part had a convincing win over Wayne Mardle last week, and Terry Jenkins only just lost out to van Barneveld.
I think if Part can take his chances he could get a draw, but if he's not on form and really going at Jenkins then I see Terry taking this 8-5 or 8-6.
The Bull is just starting to come back into the form of the last couple of years that saw him get to the final of many of our major TV events and I see him winning this.
Over the 120.5 checkout in this one is a good bet as well.
Boylesports.com Odds
Part 5/2, Jenkins 8/13, Draw 9/2
Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts
Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle
Jelle Klaasen v James Wade
Phil Taylor v Mervyn King
Wayne Mardle v Raymond van Barneveld
John Part v Terry Jenkins
Some tickets remain for the Metro Radio Arena on 0844 493 6666
Watch live on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports HD1 from 7pm
Listen to live audio commentary and see match highlights in PDCtv
Click here to purchase the official Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts Programme
The Sky Sports expert, in his MatchroomBets.com video preview, looks at each of the four games to be played on Thursday at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle.
Match odds and other prices are available from Boylesports - the official betting partner of the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts.
Click here to see Rod Harrington's video preview
So Far...
The Whyte & Mackay Premier League is really taking shape now, Mervyn King is still at the top and three points clear so whatever happens this week against Phil Taylor he will stay top.
At the bottom, Jelle Klaasen and Wayne Mardle are under pressure and they really need to put points on the board.
If they don't, come the back end of the Premier League it's going to make it really tough for them to make the top four.
Last week in Belfast we saw some brilliant games and James Wade and Phil Taylor was the pick of the bunch.
Wade ended up beating Taylor 8-4 with a great performance.
The all-important leg of the game was just before the break when Phil had four clear darts to make it 3-3, James nicked the leg and went in 4-2 up and then held his throw so the Power could do nothing about it - great win for James Wade.
Another great win for Raymond van Barneveld too - he seemed to be getting his form together against an in-form Terry Jenkins and that was a fine performance.
The Matches...
Jelle Klaasen v James Wade
Wade is on fire and I cannot see any other winner than James in this one.
What Klaasen needs to do is take the chances he's giving himself.
He's scoring well enough but then missing the odd dart at a double and you cannot do that in this format and against these class players.
James Wade in the last couple of weeks against Raymond van Barneveld and Phil Taylor has possibly played the best he has ever played and I can only see him winning.
I also think that Wade to hit more 180s than Jelle at 9/10 is a good bet.
Boylesports.com Odds
Klaasen 9/2, Wade 4/11, Draw 5/1
Phil Taylor v Mervyn King
Mervyn King is top of the league and that's where Taylor wants to be.
In Germany at the weekend Taylor won both events and played brilliantly, right at the top of his game - he didn't just beat some good players, he absolutely beat them up.
King didn't attend Germany - rightly or wrongly we will see after Thursday night. I personally think he should've gone to keep his form going and setting up and taking out the doubles which has took him to the top of the league.
I see Taylor running away with this game if King is not on the top of his game.
A good bet in this match is over the 120.5 checkout at 9/10 which is bound to go.
Boylesports.com Odds
Taylor 2/7, King 11/2, Draw 11/2
Wayne Mardle v Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond played exceptionally well against Terry Jenkins last week, a fine performance as Jenkins is on fire himself at the moment.
Barney will walk into this game feeling confident, but like King he didn't travel to Germany and I think that's wrong.
When you are looking to get your form back and get that consistency you need to play every tournament you can.
Wayne Mardle also missed Germany and didn't play well last week - he didn't get into the game and wasn't feeling too good.
He's now under pressure sitting second bottom of the league and he's not going to get anything out of Barney this week because Raymond is on fire and is going to be all guns blazing against Wayne, who needs to set the shots up and take them out.
A bit like Klaasen he's giving himself chances at doubles but just not taking them.
Against Barney, if Mardle doesn't take his chances, the Dutchman will win convincingly.
Boylesports.com Odds
Mardle 7/1, Barneveld 2/9, Draw 6/1
John Part v Terry Jenkins
John Part had a convincing win over Wayne Mardle last week, and Terry Jenkins only just lost out to van Barneveld.
I think if Part can take his chances he could get a draw, but if he's not on form and really going at Jenkins then I see Terry taking this 8-5 or 8-6.
The Bull is just starting to come back into the form of the last couple of years that saw him get to the final of many of our major TV events and I see him winning this.
Over the 120.5 checkout in this one is a good bet as well.
Boylesports.com Odds
Part 5/2, Jenkins 8/13, Draw 9/2
Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts
Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle
Jelle Klaasen v James Wade
Phil Taylor v Mervyn King
Wayne Mardle v Raymond van Barneveld
John Part v Terry Jenkins
Some tickets remain for the Metro Radio Arena on 0844 493 6666
Watch live on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports HD1 from 7pm
Listen to live audio commentary and see match highlights in PDCtv
Click here to purchase the official Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts Programme