Michael van Gerwen bullish in face of trophyless start to 2020: "I don't care - they still know I'm the best"

The PDC world number one has failed to win a trophy so far, losing in two Players Championship finals. It marks the first time in nine years that van Gerwen has gone without a title in the opening two months of a season.

While he has hardly suffered a drought - his last triumph was at the Players Championship Finals, the penultimate event of 2019 - scrutiny of the three-time world champion is constant.

However, van Gerwen refuses to let the pressure get to him. Speaking to Sky Sports after his Premier League Darts win over William O'Connor in Dublin, the 30-year-old remained as confidence as ever.

"I don't have to show anyone anything," was the Dutchman's typically forthright assessment.

"I just have to do the right things at the right moment for myself, and I know I'm the best player, even though I didn't win the last few tournaments, I don't care - they still know I'm the best. Simple."

"Sometimes I skip a few months in July and August, but now I'm going to skip January and February. Now I'm going to start winning.

"Sometimes, you need to switch a few months around!" Van Gerwen joked.

The Premier League star faces Michael Smith in Exeter on Thursday as he bids to win the competition yet again. After that, van Gerwen heads to Minehead for the UK Open. After recent failures at the 'FA Cup of Darts', the weekend provides a prime opportunity to get back in the winners' circle.

"Of course I want to win everything I play in. I try to do everything in my abilities to do as well as possible. But even when it doesn't go your way, I reached two finals in the Pro Tour, you need to make sure you practise, prepare better and work harder. And sometimes it's not going to be any damage," he added.

The new member of the Winmau stable doesn't believe that his setup switch has had any impact on his form. On the contrary, van Gerwen feels that elements of his game are on the up.

"I think last week I played quite well in the Pro Tour," van Gerwen said.

"I had a nice 107 average, 105, 102, 103. I can't really remember. They don't go too bad. I feel comfortable with them. My double percentage is higher than ever. I only need to make sure I keep my scoring going, and make sure I've got more in my rhythm, in most of the games.

"I know there's still work to do, and I'm not denying it. But I know it's coming. I'm so close to doing some really special things again."