Is Michael van Gerwen a cause for concern or form being over analysed as numbers paint a picture

Michael van Gerwen's form in 2025 continues to spark debate. Following his loss in the World Championship final to Luke Littler, many saw his performance at the World Championships as a sign of recovery. However, more than three months later, the phrase "crisis of form" is being increasingly mentioned. The reigning 2023 Premier League champion is yet to secure a single win this season. Is there genuine cause for concern, or is the situation being blown out of proportion?

As the Premier League reaches its ninth week, Van Gerwen is still waiting for his first nightly victory. In previous years, he would have already claimed several wins by this point. Nevertheless, he remains in a strong third place in the standings.

“I don’t have a win yet, and I’m still third in the standings. That’s clever, isn’t it?” Van Gerwen responded in a conversation with De Telegraaf. Despite not securing an evening win, he has reached the semifinals five times and even made it to one final. Only twice has he been eliminated in the first round. This suggests that "Mighty Mike" is far from underperforming, though the dazzling results that have defined his career are still absent for now.

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With the playoffs approaching, Van Gerwen is resolute. “An evening win would be nice, of course. The goal is to get one in the coming weeks to stay comfortable as well,” he said. He also mentioned that many people have been pushing him to claim a victory. “I keep running into people who say, ‘You have to win one too, don’t you!’ Yes, I understand that myself. But I’m not worried about it. If I start worrying, then something’s not right. I just have to try to stay as sharp as possible.”

While Van Gerwen may not be performing at his absolute peak, he still has moments of brilliance. At the European Darts Trophy in Göttingen, he defeated Gerwyn Price with an impressive 107 average. However, he was knocked out in the semifinals by Ryan Joyce, a defeat he deemed unnecessary.

“That was unnecessary and a shame, because I’m throwing good averages,” Van Gerwen said. “It’s coming, but there’s just no moment where you can take your foot off the gas. You have to keep going.”

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