Stephen Bunting is hoping to continue his resurgence when he makes his highly-anticipated return to Liverpool on Night 12 of the BetMGM Premier League on Thursday.
Bunting will be the star attraction at the M&S Bank Arena on Thursday, and with his beloved Liverpool Football Club on the cusp of Premier League glory, it could be a memorable few days on Merseyside.
The 40-year-old has claimed eight points across the last three weeks of action, following up Night Nine success in Berlin by reaching last week’s final in Rotterdam.
Bunting remains seven points adrift of the top four places with five league nights remaining, but still harbours aspirations of completing a remarkable turnaround and securing a Play-Off berth.
“It is definitely still attainable, I’m not out of it,” insisted Bunting, who will take on Rob Cross in his quarter-final clash in Liverpool.
“I honestly believe I am one of the best players in the world at the minute.
“I’m really happy with where my game is. I just need to keep knuckling down and working hard, and I believe the results will come.
“Playing in Liverpool, it’s going to be an incredible night. I’m really looking forward to the walk-on and being on that stage, orchestrating the crowd.
“I’m sure I’ll have goosebumps when I arrive at the venue, but I’ve taken all the pressure off myself, so I just want to have a really good night.”
While Bunting prepares to take centre stage on Merseyside, Van Gerwen and Littler will also renew their rivalry for a place in the Night 12 semi-finals.
Van Gerwen defied a 113 average from Littler to triumph in an epic last eight clash on the tournament’s opening night in Belfast, although the teenager has since won the pair’s last three meetings.
Their most recent encounter saw Littler land a nine-darter during their Night Seven decider in Cardiff, and he makes the trip to Liverpool with a seven-point cushion at the Premier League summit.
However, Van Gerwen returned to winning ways with a superb victory at the German Darts Grand Prix in Munich on Monday, which he hopes can provide the catalyst for his Play-Off push.
“We all know I’m in a tough position in the Premier League,” conceded Van Gerwen, who finds himself outside the Play-Off positions on legs difference.
“Everyone who knows me knows that I never give up. I always keep battling. I always keep fighting, and that’s what you need to do.
“In the last few weeks I’ve been playing poorly. I’ve been battling myself, but I know I have it in me to perform.
“Winning in Munich meant the world to me, and that win will probably give me the confidence I needed.”
Van Gerwen is level on points with fourth-placed Gerwyn Price, who begins his bid for a third nightly win of the campaign against a revitalised Chris Dobey.
Dobey registered a hat-trick of ton-plus averages on his way to victory in Rotterdam, defeating Luke Humphries, Nathan Aspinall and Bunting to move to within three points of the Play-Off places.
“I’m a fighter. I’ve worked hard to get myself back amongst the elite, and I’m here to win,” declared the Bedlington star.
“I firmly believe I can beat anybody, and if I can get another nightly win, I will put myself right back in the mix.
“I showed what I’m capable of in Rotterdam, and I think with the way I performed there, I’ve got a good chance of making the top four.”
The evening’s other quarter-final showdown pits Humphries against Aspinall, who climbed to third in the table following his run to the semi-finals in Rotterdam.
Aspinall also defeated Humphries in Manchester’s Night Ten showpiece, but the world number one still boasts a six-point cushion in second spot, having reached five nightly finals so far this season.
Ranking points are awarded per night – with five to the winner, three to the runner-up and two to the semi-finalists – to form the league table from which the top four players will progress to the Play-Offs at The O2 in London on Thursday May 29.
The 2025 BetMGM Premier League will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK & Ireland, through the PDC’s worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV for Rest of the World Subscribers.
2025 BetMGM Premier League Night 12
Thursday April 24
M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
Quarter-Finals
Luke Humphries v Nathan Aspinall
Michael van Gerwen v Luke Littler
Rob Cross v Stephen Bunting
Gerwyn Price v Chris Dobey
Semi-Finals
Humphries/Aspinall v Van Gerwen/Littler
Cross/Bunting v Price/Dobey
Final
v
All matches best of 11 legs
| NW | MW | L | +/- | Legs Won | LWAT | Pts | |
| Luke Littler | 4 | 18 | 7 | +38 | 135 | 50 | 30 |
| Luke Humphries | 2 | 14 | 9 | +11 | 114 | 44 | 23 |
| Nathan Aspinall | 1 | 10 | 10 | -4 | 90 | 39 | 17 |
| Gerwyn Price | 2 | 8 | 9 | +4 | 81 | 35 | 15 |
| Michael van Gerwen | 0 | 8 | 10 | -10 | 82 | 35 | 15 |
| Chris Dobey | 1 | 7 | 10 | -6 | 73 | 30 | 12 |
| Rob Cross | 0 | 6 | 11 | -12 | 76 | 27 | 12 |
| Stephen Bunting | 1 | 5 | 10 | -26 | 53 | 21 | 8 |
—–ENDS—–
Images:PDC
