Premier League Darts 2014: Belfast Date, Fixtures, Live Stream and Participants
The 2014 Premier League Darts season picks up again on Thursday, with some of the biggest names in the business congregating at Belfast's Odyssey Arena, each with the same goal in sight.
Reigning champion Michael van Gerwen makes his way to Northern Ireland having won his first two clashes of this year's campaign, with Adrian Lewis pitched just above the Dutchman at the top of the standings.
And it's one of his victims, Phil "The Power" Taylor, who is yet to claim anything from his first fortnight of fixtures, suffering a traumatic 7-0 battering at the hands of "Mighty Mike" in Week 1.
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Read on for all the essential information and fixture details heading into the latest installment of the Premier League season.
Date: Thursday, Feb. 20
Time: 7 p.m. local time (GMT)/2 p.m. ET
Viewing Info: Sky Sports 2 (UK)
Live Stream: SkyGo App (requires subscription)
| Player 1 | vs. | Player 2 |
| Robert Thornton | vs. | Gary Anderson |
| Peter Wright | vs. | Phil Taylor |
| Dave Chisnall | vs. | Michael van Gerwen |
| Wes Newton | vs. | Adrian Lewis |
| Raymond van Barneveld | vs. | Simon Whitlock |
Key Matchups
Dave Chisnall vs. Michael van Gerwen
In 13 meetings between the pair, Michael van Gerwen has managed to claim eight wins over Dave Chisnall, per Darts Database, and current form would suggest a ninth is looming for the Premier League title holder.
In front of a home crowd last weekend, van Gerwen managed to come out on top of the Dutch Darts Masters, building on wins already earned against Taylor and Robert Thornton in recent weeks.
PDC Darts World shows exactly how dominant the Dutchman was on his way to beating Mervyn King in the final of that competition:
Chisnall currently sits fourth in the table but has been slow to start in his last two Premier League outings. His 6-6 draw with Peter Wright in Bournemouth showed a lack of clinical finishing despite him boasting a superior three-dart average throughout.
Wes Newton vs. Adrian Lewis
With six places separating the pair, Adrian Lewis' fixture against Wes Newton may not be the highlight of Belfast's card, but the latter can still pose a challenge to the current leader's impressive record heading into the contest.
And this was precisely the case in Sept. 2013, when the duo last met in the Championship of Darts, Newton bouncing back from four consecutive defeats against the Stoke-on-Trent man prior to that.
As things stand, Lewis has conceded just four legs in his two 2014 Premier League outings, and his Belfast opponent faces a massive task in moving up from seventh place.
Peter Wright vs. Phil Taylor
Not for a long time have the lines between Taylor and Peter Wright been so closely drawn, but such is the scenario given the recent record of "The Power."
According to Darts Database, Wright has failed to beat Taylor in each of their nine encounters, but there's no better time for the Scot to subvert that tally.
Third in the table, Wright can have high hopes of ensuring Taylor's losing streak is extended to three matches in Belfast, although it's worth mentioning that the veteran's opening two games against van Gerwen and Lewis have been tough, to say the least.
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