Dobey calmness in playing Van Gerwen in debut Premier League final ‘mind-boggling’ according to Mardle, thinks MVG still man to beat

Chris Dobey took to the Premier League Darts straight away sealing Night One after a superb victory over Michael van Gerwen in Belfast. This quick adaptation was mind blowing according to Wayne Mardle.

Mardle spoke after the nights' action concluded and sees Dobey, Van Gerwen and Dimitri van den Bergh as those settled with the Green Machine in particular still the man to beat despite losing out in the final on Night One.

"You've either got it or you haven't in terms of that ability and because he knows he's got the ability, that panic hasn't set in because he knows he can win," said Mardle on Sky Sports.

"That Masters win is going to be the catalyst for we don't know, but it's a catalyst for tonight most definitely.

"Now he's settled in the Premier League. I'm going to say Michael van Gerwen has settled and probably Dimitri Van den Bergh. The others? Maybe not, but that was an amazing win.

"I thought he was nervy in the last leg because he was hitting 60, then missing, 60 first dart, then missing. But then left the 160 and he didn't look nervy one bit.

"Every mistake Michael van Gerwen made, Chris Dobey punished him and at the moment things are going his way but he's creating that for himself."

"I love seeing new winners, especially talented players that are finally getting their just desserts. We saw it in the worlds with Michael Smith and now Chris Dobey," he added.

"He's been a great player for a long time but those little small increments of quality and consistency, it's not even the consistency. He's better. His all-round game is better. This is what happens so good luck to him."

"He knows his own ability and like he said, he wasn't nervous which is just mind-boggling to me. Yeah, crack on Chris," said 'Hawaii 501'.

"I still think Michael van Gerwen is still the man to beat though and they know he's still the man to beat, but tonight proves the outsider of the pack is not necessarily the outsider of the pack."