"I want to be the man who stops him!" - Michael van Gerwen keen to end Luke Humphries winning run as Premier League Darts reaches finals night

Michael van Gerwen will look for his eighth Premier League Darts title later tonight. Having reached the playoffs by finishing 3rd in the league table, he will take on Luke Humphries in the semifinals. The winner will then take on the winner of the other semifinal between Luke Littler and Michael Smith in the final.

Van Gerwen is still keen on winning another major title. Nearly 14,000 spectators are expected at the O2 Arena in London tonight. "I have had so many great days in this venue, so I'm hoping I can add another one tomorrow," the Dutchman previews in his pre-playoff press conference. "I've got lots of experience in this tournament and especially on this stage. Of course that can help, but you still need to do everything in your possibility to perform when it matters. There have been some ups and downs, but after the last few weeks I feel comfortable, and I honestly think there is more in the tank for tomorrow."

It is widely considered that going into the playoffs this year, there is no standout favourite of clear underdog, with all four darting stars considered relatively evenly matched. "I still think one will back against me. Maybe a tenner but no big bets," Van Gerwen assesses with a cheeky smile. "I need to look for my own ability and my own focus on the gamesand I'm looking forward to it."

In Luke Humphries though, van Gerwen is well aware of the threat that stands before him. "Luke has been playing the darts of his life over the last few months," he admits. "What he has done over the last six months has been fantastic. He plays freely, he plays with a lot of confidence, but it won't last forever, and I want to be the man who stops him! I wasn't favourite last year [after finishing third], and I won the title, so I'm going to do exactly the same this year!"