Liverpool welcomes the boys of the Premier League for week 12 of the tournament and it’s looking very much like squeaky bum time for those still with hopes of a play-off place. This Thursday will shed a very bright light on who’s going to make it to finals day and everyone will be wanting to bask in it rather than cower away from it.
Webby v The Bull
Well this is pretty much a dead rubber as Webster now can’t qualify and it would take a minor miracle for Jenkins to make it to finals night, but that’s not to say that it won’t be an intriguing contest.
Mark will be absolutely desperate to add to his four points and try and drag himself off the bottom of the table before the competition ends. He has had a torrid time of it over the last seven weeks since his last win and has looked like he wants to be anywhere but on the Premier League stage. He will see The Bull as his chance to pick up at least one point and will hopefully be fully focussed on achieving that.
Terry will have other ideas though and he showed his trademark fighting spirit last week against Barney in claiming his second draw of the tournament. He still can mathematically make the top four, but even if he couldn’t I would expect him to give his all in every match so this one will be no different.
Prediction: Webster 5 – 8 Jenkins
Betting Tip: Terry to get over 3.5 180s is evens
Priestley’s Pick: Bottom of the table clash. Neither player will want to finish bottom and time is running out if they want to make the play offs. Mark is having a terrible time of it and I think Terry will take full advantage. A steady opening game but Jenks to take the win. Jenkins to win 8-5
The Flying Scotsman v The Power
Could and should be the match of the night, as the reverse fixture was in Manchester all those weeks ago, it can’t make any difference to the league table, but there is certainly a psychological battle to be won between the two men everyone expects to be in the final.
Gary Anderson has been in sparkling form after his slight mid-tournament slump as was highlighted by his eleven 180s and 103 average against Whitlock last week. He also beat Taylor in the UK Open Qualifiers just a week and a half ago so is very well aware that he can do it.
Taylor is one man that can respond to defeats though and he is often at his most dangerous when looking for revenge. He knows he has qualified and will almost certainly take top spot, but he will not be taking his foot off the gas at all and will want to show Anderson who’s boss.
It’s going to be a very tight one again, just as the first match was, and as good as Gary’s scoring has been I think his missed doubles will cost him against The Power.
Prediction: Anderson 5 – 8 Taylor
Betting Tip: Anderson over 4.5 180s is evens (11 last week)
Priestley’s Pick: First plays second in this encounter and undoubtedly the most consistent players this season. Gary is scoring better than anyone at the moment and if he takes his chances he could switch the power off. Phil will not give away an inch and one break of throw could win it for him. Really close and entertaining game. Taylor to win 8-6
Barney v The Machine
This one has the potential to steal the show as the consistently good Dutchman faces off against the revitalised Machine who has fourth spot in his cross-hairs.
Barney has been solid throughout the tournament and it would take a bit of a collapse from him now to fail to qualify for finals night, but he isn’t quite secured a place there yet. He scored an 100 average in the draw with Jenks last week and will need to be in three figures again this week you feel.
The Machine has finally been oiled up and got all his circuits working and could well have timed his run to perfection with three wins in a row putting him in fifth place and level on points with Whitlock just above him.
Wade hit his first three figure average last week against Webster with a hugely impressive 106 and if he keeps this up then he can beat anyone. He seems focussed and capable of keeping up his sensational record in the Premier League.
Van Barneveld 6 – 8 The Machine
Betting Tip: Draw/James Wade is 13/2
Priestley’s Pick: James has started to show the type of form we all know he can produce and Raymond has probably had his best season for a couple of years. Plenty of 180s, high finishes and drama. I think that James will carry on his impressive form and take the win. Wade to win 8-6
Jackpot v The Wizard
These four fixtures must be the closest of any that could be thrown up at this stage of the tournament as the final match of the night is yet another one that is incredibly tight and tough to call.
The World Champ has been struggling over the last few weeks to pick up a result, and despite seemingly hitting some form against Taylor last time out still succumbed to a fairly heavy defeat. He hasn’t thrown too badly at any stage of the league, but hasn’t brought out the World Championship winning form on a regular basis enough either, but I think he will need to this week to get a result he desperately needs.
The Wizard was unlucky to come up against a record-breaking Anderson last week as his performance would have won him matches on other days so hopefully his confidence won’t be too shaken by the result. He’s still in the box seat of fourth place, but only just and will need to keep winning if he is to stay there, but he will know this and will be very focussed.
Whoever wants to win this game will have to be averaging three figures, and of course they are both more than capable of doing so, who is more likely to do it though, at the minute I would say it’s the Australian.
Prediction: Lewis 5 – 8 Whitlock
Betting Tip: Over 8.5 180s is 11/10
Priestley’s Pick: It seems a long time since Adrian last won a fixture and it’s not going to get any easier tonight against Simon. Both players came up against opponents in great from last week and didn't really do much wrong themselves. Lewis may be suffering from a lack of confidence of late and I think Simon will take advantage. Whitlock to win 8-6
Well me and Dennis fancy the same results for Thursday’s games and you can get the four match outcomes at 12/1 with SkyBet. I do fancy them, but at the same time they are all so tight, tiny errors could prove the difference.
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