MVG: I'm using painkillers but I'm 100 per cent fit for the Play-Offs

Michael van Gerwen has been utilizing painkillers and physio up of his showdown with Michael Smith, portion Gerwyn Price says he's is successful a overmuch amended spot up of facing Jonny Clayton; the Play-Offs instrumentality to The O2 connected Thursday, May 25 - unrecorded connected Sky Sports Action from 7pm

Last Updated: 24/05/23 6:34pm

Please usage Chrome browser for a much accessible video player

Wayne Mardle and Mark Webster sermon Van Gerwen withdrawing from Night 16 successful Aberdeen owed to wounded and statement whether helium volition beryllium acceptable for the Play-Offs successful London

Wayne Mardle and Mark Webster sermon Van Gerwen withdrawing from Night 16 successful Aberdeen owed to wounded and statement whether helium volition beryllium acceptable for the Play-Offs successful London

Michael van Gerwen has revealed helium is utilizing painkillers and physio connected his limb wounded suffered past Thursday successful Aberdeen successful bid to play astatine the Play-Offs astatine London's O2 connected Thursday nighttime - unrecorded connected Sky Sports Action from 7pm.

The Dutchman was visibly troubled by a occupation with his precocious limb during his quarter-final triumph implicit Chris Dobey astatine P&J Live past week.

He aboriginal had to retreat up of his semi-final aft receiving aesculapian attraction backstage, having strained a muscle.

Van Gerwen amazingly opted to play astatine the Players Championship events astatine the weekend, suffering an opening-round exit connected Saturday and past losing to rising prima Josh Rock successful the past 16 connected Sunday.

• Wayne Mardle's Play-Offs Predictions: Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith, MVG oregon Jonny Clayton?
• 'The look connected his face!' | Michael Smith truthful adjacent to nine-darter!
• 'I can't speak, I can't speak!' | Wayne Mardle goes berserk aft Michael Smith nine-darter

MVG indispensable present hole to fastener horns with satellite No 1 Michael Smith successful a repetition of January's satellite title decider, wherever the six-time Premier League champion feels "100 per cent".

"I wouldn't beryllium present if I wasn't feeling 100 per cent," said Van Gerwen. "If I thought I couldn't truly vie astatine 100 per cent, there's nary constituent being here."

He aboriginal added: "There were a fewer days astatine the play erstwhile I wasn't 100 per cent definite but that's wherefore I played. My specializer told if I played, I could marque it worse. But if I played past I needed remainder and erstwhile I played I needed to support my limb moving smoothly and that's what I did.

"The wounded has gone, but of people I'm utilizing painkillers and physio due to the fact that you request to support it going. You person to effort to bash everything to marque the Play-Offs."

Looking up to facing Smith, helium said: "I've stayed successful the UK to get myself prepared and present I'm looking guardant to Thursday night.

"The satellite title last is done and dusted truthful present I'm looking guardant to Thursday. I consciousness comfy and that's the astir important thing."

Smith: It's each astir me

"I consciousness assured and amended than I did 5 years ago," said Smith, who was runner-up to Van Gerwen successful 2018. "I conscionable privation to spell up determination and person fun. One much slumber near and it volition conscionable consciousness similar Christmas.

"Michael's not been firing connected each cylinders erstwhile he's played maine and hopefully it volition beryllium the lawsuit connected Thursday. It's each astir me. If I play well, he'll person to play better.

"If I triumph this title, I volition go the 3rd idiosyncratic to triumph the Worlds and Premier League successful the aforesaid twelvemonth and past I spell to the Matchplay and I could go the 3rd idiosyncratic to triumph the 3 titles successful the aforesaid twelvemonth [after Phil Taylor and Van Gerwe]."

Price: My caput is successful a amended place

Table-topper Price past takes connected his compatriot Clayton successful an all-Welsh semi-final showdown.

"I've yet made it," said Price, who has qualified for the Play-Offs for the archetypal clip successful his career. "It's been a mates of years wherever I've narrowly missed retired but I'm yet excited astir getting connected the stage.

"I've played good each the mode done the Premier League. It's been a decent run this twelvemonth and present I'm gladsome to person got done to the Play-Offs. It's bully to decorativeness apical of the league, but it doesn't mean anything.

"My crippled and my caput is successful a overmuch amended spot than Jonny's is astatine the moment. Things changed for maine erstwhile I played successful Dublin erstwhile I started changing my shirts and connecting with the assemblage a small spot much past they started getting down maine and cheering for me."

Clayton: There volition beryllium nerves, but hopefully bully darts

"Nathan Aspinall was fantastic past week but helium was unlucky that helium ran into Gerwyn Price. He did a bully occupation and helped maine out. I had a grin connected my face, but I tin spot Nathan would person been gutted," said 'The Ferret', who won the Premier League successful 2021.

"Gezzy is my caller champion person aft doing maine a favour but I'm looking guardant to the battle. Win oregon lose, I'm going to bask playing him.

"The line-up speaks for itself for the modular of subordinate connected show. Anything tin happen."

• How the satellite reacted to Michael Smith's iconic nine-darter
• Get Sky Sports | Download the Sky Sports App
• Follow us @skysportsdarts I Love The Darts Podcast

The respective semi-final winners volition past beforehand to the evening's showpiece, arsenic the conflict to scoop the £275,000 apical prize reaches a thrilling climax.

We're backmost for the decision of this season's Premier League Darts enactment astatine London's O2 connected Thursday, May 25 - unrecorded connected Sky Sports Action from 7pm.