PDC World Championship 2020 seeds profile: Michael van Gerwen and Rob Cross

Last time out, it was Gerwyn Price and Michael Smith profiled. Now it is the turn of current World Champion, Michael van Gerwen and current World Matchplay champion Rob Cross. All odds are provided by World Championship sponsors William Hill, and are correct at time at publication.

Seed: 1

Age: 30

Nationality: Dutch

Previous World Championship appearances: 12

Best PDC major performance: Winner – World Championship 2014, 2017, 2019

Walk-on: Seven Nation Army by White Stripes

Odds to win: 5/4

Van Gerwen has had another exceptional year with the Dutchman bouncing back after the disappointment of his start to 2019 which saw doubts cast on the form of the World Number One with many as usual saying he was finished.

Defeats to Mervyn King at the UK Open, Glen Durrant at the World Matchplay and even in smaller European Tour and ProTour events cast these doubts but despite that he answered the question. He went to Australia for the World Series and after a Quarter-Final in Brisbane, he won both remaining events and built from there.

He went onto win both the World Grand Prix and Champions League of Darts. He has been intermittently winning going out in the Last 32 at the European Championship but then winning the World Series of Darts Finals. As usual he goes into the event looking for a fourth World title and will be a huge favourite to do so, the fear factor at times may have gone with Van Gerwen but his way of turning it on is still there.

First up is Jelle Klaasen or Kevin Burness and if it is Klaasen, he will look at his past record against his former friend and his knack of easing past him so at least for the first few rounds, he should be safely through and as the format increases he gets stronger. It could be another golden year for Mighty Mike.

Seed: 2

Age: 29

Nationality: English

Previous World Championship appearances: 2

Best PDC major performance: Winner – World Championship 2018, World Matchplay 2019

Walk-on: Hot Hot Hot by Arrow

Odds to win: 16/1

Cross is two years on from his fairytale World Championship victory which saw him claim one of the shock wins in the history of the tournament in defeating Phil Taylor in the final. Two years on and he will defend that money so will need at least a good run or a slide in the rankings which will allow Gerwyn Price into second will likely take place.

This means that despite victories in the World Matchplay and European Championship which have seen him shun criticism that he is a one title wonder, the pressure will be on him again to deliver at the Alexandra Palace.

Either Kim Huybrechts or Geert Nentjes await; both players can play well on their day and could dump out 'Voltage', all eyes will be on the Hastings ace in the next few weeks.