"You’re never going to stop Michael van Gerwen from saying something": Jonny Clayton still getting into practice room banter despite missing Nathan Aspinall

Jonny Clayton says his focus remains on picking up “two points every week” in the Premier League Darts as the Welshman prepares to face Michael van Gerwen on Night Seven in Nottingham.

Clayton arrives in strong form, having recently reached the quarter-finals of the UK Open Darts Championship, and currently sits five points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

Despite the impressive start, the former champion insists his mindset remains simple. “Yeah, I feel good,” Clayton said pre Nottingham. “The darts are going good and the confidence is high. So I’m looking forward to tomorrow night and hopefully I can pick some more points up.”

Clayton admitted he is pleased with his start to the campaign but stressed that the key to success in the Premier League remains consistency. “I always know what you have to do. I’ve been in this before, so points are so important,” he said. “Obviously I’ve had a good start and hopefully it carries on. I look for two points every week. If I have more than that, it’s a bonus, because there will be weeks where you’re not picking up two points. So far, so good.”

That philosophy has not changed despite building an early advantage in the standings. “At the end of the day you’re trying to get as many points as you possibly can,” he added. "If I could qualify for week 17 after week 12, the job is done, isn’t it? It’s always attack and always looking for the two points. Like I say, anything more than that is a plus.”

Next up for Clayton is a quarter-final meeting with Van Gerwen, a player he says he greatly respects. “I enjoy playing against Mike. I respect Mike a lot,” Clayton explained. "I’ve always liked the way he plays. He never blames anybody else. If it’s not his night, he blames himself and goes back and focuses on what he’s done wrong. I think I’ve picked up a lot of tips from that. Nobody else can help you, you’ve just got to put things right yourself. I really respect that.”

Clayton believes the pair’s matches are always straightforward affairs. “We just go up and play the game of darts. No nonsense. Somebody has to win, and whatever happens on the night will be. Hopefully it’s me.”

Last season, 24 points was enough to secure a place at Finals Night at London’s The O2 Arena, but Clayton says it is too early to predict what will be required this year. “You’re not going to know that until later in the league,” he said. "Maybe around week 13 you’ll know what you’re looking at. Like I say, I’m looking for two points week in, week out. Anything above that is a massive bonus.

“My goal is just to pick up points week in, week out and hopefully it gets me over the line to week 17.”

Clayton also believes the current eight-player format is as competitive as he has experienced. “I think it’s the most competitive one that I’ve been in,” he said. “We’re all picking points off each other, which makes it exciting. There’s no runaway leader, so it keeps it interesting.”

Although Clayton has not lifted a title recently, he feels his game is moving back in the right direction. “I’m only human. You win some, you lose some,” he said. "I’d like to win everything I play in and so would everybody else. But a quarter-final last week shows I’m doing something right. I’m getting to the later stages of competitions.

“That’s where I want to be. I want to get back to the top of my game and slowly it’s getting there. Hopefully the Premier League finals night will come again.”

For Clayton, the most important factor has been rediscovering his enjoyment of the sport. “It’s nice to play with a smile on my face again,” he said.

“It’s nice to want to go to darts rather than thinking I have to go to darts. When Wednesday comes now it’s like, ‘Right, we need to go and try to make some more money!’ I’m enjoying it again and hopefully that brings the best out of me.”

The emergence of teenage star Luke Littler has also added a fresh dynamic to the tour, according to Clayton. “There are different players playing well and we’ve got a new face on the block with Luke Littler,” he said. "But at the end of the day we’re only human – we’re not machines. Sometimes you play really well, sometimes you scrape through without your best performance. If you hit the right shot at the right time and win the match, that’s all that matters. A win is a win.”

Clayton also joked that the Premier League practice room is slightly quieter without Nathan Aspinall. “Nathan is a character,” he said. “He’s bubbly and one of those guys everybody takes a liking to. He doesn’t stop talking! So it’s probably not as noisy as it would be if Nathan was there, but we still have our little banter.”

Clayton himself has also been the target of plenty of jokes, particularly from Van Gerwen. “There’s still banter. You’re never going to stop Michael van Gerwen from saying something,” he laughed.

“They call me ‘Grandad’, but I’m a young grandad! I take it as banter and I enjoy it. I can give back as good as I get.”

Away from the oche, Clayton has recently begun restoring a classic rally car – something he has long wanted to do. “I’m building an old Mark II Escort,” he revealed. "It’s a full rebuild and at the moment it’s being wrapped to protect the paintwork. I’ve always loved the old rally cars.

“I’m not saying I’m going to rally it because it would cost too much money, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to do and I finally got the chance.”

And while some of his fellow players have been enjoying the races at the Cheltenham Festival this week, Clayton has kept his focus firmly on darts.

“I don’t have much interest in horses, to be honest,” he said. "To me, a horse is something that eats grass in a field! I’m not a betting man. I’ve seen on social media that they’re doing alright there, but that’s their thing.

“I’ve come up here a day early and I’m focusing on darts, not horses.”

With confidence high and points already on the board, Clayton will hope that approach continues to pay off when he faces Van Gerwen in Nottingham.