Michael van Gerwen returns to the AO Arena on April ten with one target adding another nightly trophy to his bulging Premier League cabinet.

The Dutch icon began the two thousand twenty five roadshow with characteristic swagger beating Luke Humphries and Rob Cross on the opening night in Belfast before lifting the trophy in Berlin four weeks later.

Yet inconsistent finishing has left him fourth in the table on twenty points and he knows Manchester offers a prime chance to pull clear of Nathan Aspinall in the race for the last play off berth.

Van Gerwen has fond memories of the city. He threw a one hundred and twenty one checkout on the bull to clinch his third Premier League crown here in two thousand nineteen and averaged one hundred and four in a semi final victory twelve months ago. He arrives buoyed by pushing Luke Littler all the way in Birmingham last week before succumbing six four in the nightly final. The seven time champion admitted his scoring power is back and warned rivals that small tweaks on the outer ring will make him unstoppable.

Table topper Littler again lurks in the opposite half of the draw, while Luke Humphries faces an immediate quarter final with Gerwyn Price.

Should results fall his way Van Gerwen would leapfrog Price into third place and cut Littler’s lead to single digits. Local crowds are guaranteed full volume thanks to Aspinall’s presence and the St Helens star believes the partisan atmosphere could unsettle outsiders and give him an edge if they clash in the semi finals

With only three regular nights left after Manchester every leg is gold dust. Van Gerwen insists pressure is a privilege. “This is when champions stand tall,” he smiled at media day. “I want another trophy on that stage and I plan to take it.” Fans know that when he talks like that fireworks usually follow.