The Premier League Darts Preview: Week Four, Berlin

In its first iteration, it did not even leave England. Only in 2012 did it leave the United Kingdom. Now, a year after it debuted in the Netherlands, the Premier League Darts hits Berlin. A 12,000 capacity crowd at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin will be rocking. Who will be Germany's hero on a night packed with top level action?

It's, incredibly, first versus second in the opening match of the night. More remarkable still, Simon Whitlock and Michael Smith have won all three of their opening fixtures. No player has ever started with three straight wins and failed to make the play-offs, let alone suffering the ignominy of ending in the bottom two. As the pair were backed by many to be relegated, that makes the competition wide open. One of them could even extend to four wins on the bounce. Smith's floor form has been better than Whitlock's, but he hasn't been called upon to average more than 100 in the Premier League. The Aussie can raise the tempo, as he showed against Mensur Suljovic.

Two debutants desperately needing a win meet in Berlin. Gerwyn Price has some reasonable results, on paper. Draws against Peter Wright and Daryl Gurney are decent enough. And defeat against Gary Anderson is no source of shame. But the performances have been poor, with the Welshman going 5-1 down twice and not managing a better average than 93.51. It's the opposite for Mensur Suljovic. The showings have been decent, bar a meek thrashing at the hands of Michael Smith. He is one of only three players to have managed multiple ton-plus averages. Now it's a case of Suljovic developing a ruthless streak, or Price finding a higher level.

If only Michael van Gerwen could play Gary Anderson every week. Alas, it's Daryl Gurney in the firing line this time. And the Northern Irishman is certainly staring down the barrel. The Dutchman's demolition of Anderson following the Scot's incredible 170 finish was awe-inspiring. He followed it up with wins in Players Championship 1 and 2. He already has five event wins in 2018. Gurney, with a UK Open Qualifier final under his belt, is yet to earn a Premier League win. It is unlikely to come here.

After a rocky beginning to 2018, Rob Cross is up and running. The world champion looks more comfortable and more confident. Both were on show in a slightly tetchy 7-4 win over Peter Wright in Newcastle. Next up for him is a man who has sampled the full platter of results so far. Raymond van Barneveld has a win, a draw and a defeat, with the latter coming against Simon Whitlock last week. Barney is at his best when he is comfortable and well-backed. The German crowd will probably get behind him, which could work against Cross. Barney's shaky Players Championship form cannot bleed into his Premier League performance, or Voltage may shock him.

They're friends and World Cup team-mates. But Peter Wright and Gary Anderson will put all that to one side in Berlin. It is heartwarming to see Anderson fully recovered after his back issues. From a point where retirement was a distinct possibility, his sterling 110.79 average against Michael van Gerwen last week was a reminder that the Flying Scotsman cannot be brought down. Snakebite allowed his emotions to get the better of him against Rob Cross in Newcastle. He'll need to focus, and regain the killer touch that allowed him to surprise van Gerwen on Week Two.