Van Gerwen can follow in Van Barneveld and Taylor's footsteps after superb wins in previous matches

Michael van Gerwen did not lose a set in his quarter-final and semi-final at the World Darts Championship. In the last eight, Chris Dobey was beaten 5-0 and then Dimitri van den Bergh was drubbed 6-0 in the semi-final.

Statistics platform Premium Dart Data reports that only twice before has it happened that a player at a World Darts Championship did not lose a set at the last eight and the last four.

Raymond van Barneveld did so during the 2007 edition against Alan Tabern (5-0) and Andy Jenkins (6-0). Phil Taylor repeated the feat in 2010 against Adrian Lewis (5-0) and Mark Webster (6-0). A good omen for Van Gerwen; both Van Barneveld and Taylor subsequently also won the world title.