Michael van Gerwen admits he is not in top form despite winning in Glasgow

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Michael van Gerwenadmitted he was not at his greatest despite winning night time three on the 2024 BetMGM Premier League at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro with a 6-5 remaining win over Luke Humphries.

The Dutchman received in Berlin final week and on an evening when teenager Luke Littler disenchanted a supportive crowd by testing in the quarter-finals, he once more confirmed his mettle in a last-leg decider in opposition to the world champion

Van Gerwen, who is three factors away from Michael Smith on the top of the desk, stated: “Even without my best performance I think I  did a great job and sometimes that is really important.

“Double six let me down tonight but outside that my finishing and the way I played the game was a good standard.

“Of course my score could have been a lot better but sometimes that is darts. Another win, it is good.

“I always believe in my ability and I think I did the right things at the right moments.

“I have put so much pressure on myself. No targets. I’d say I’m at 90 per cent of my game.”

Humphries led 1-0 and 4-2 and maybe ought to have made it 5-2 however the Dutchman got here again to 4-4 and a 180 in the ninth leg helped him forge forward 5-4 solely to see Humphries reply to stage and take it into the ultimate leg when one other 180 gave Van Gerwen the benefit and he clinched victory with double top.

In his first season in the competitors Humphries stated: “It was important to play well.

“I was proud of the way I played and I am where I want to be, in the top four.

“It is my first year in it and I am going to enjoy it.”

Littler made an early exit after an exciting battle with Gerwyn Price.

The 17-year-old was given an excellent reception by the gang however the Welshman stood robust.

The 2021 world champion  simply missed double 12 for a 9 darter at 3-2 down – Nathan Aspinall additionally got here agonisingly near an ideal nine-dart leg throughout his defeat by Humphries –  however got here again to stage at 3-3.

Littler went 4-3 up however once more Price got here again to win the following two legs earlier than the younger Englishman levelled at 5-5 however Price triumphed 6-5 in a tense last-leg decider.

Peter Wright was left pissed off after developing properly brief in opposition to Van Gerwen.

Wright was cheered to the rafters when he returned to residence soil with a highly-anticipated quarter-final conflict however was despatched packing with a 6-2 defeat.

The Scotsman stated: “I was just thinking Michael is not even on it and I couldn’t even punish him. It is one of those games. Annoying.

“You see them on TV and you see the players and think, ‘oh he’s playing rubbish’ and you step up but it couldn’t find anything. It wouldn’t go in.

“I don’t know, maybe I have too much respect for Michael, I don’t know.

“But the crowd was fantastic. It was nice to see a full house and I really appreciate that and I hope they enjoy the rest of the night.

“I was gutted I let them down.

“Even at 5-1 down I was thinking, Michael is not on it, still I could win this game.

“I know what my game is and I was ready but Michael probably would have stepped up if I started hitting something.”