Michael van Gerwen may not be in peak form but he is still talking a big game, saying his mindset is rock solid compared to some ‘weak as f***’ rivals.
MVG is preparing for Night Four of the Bet MGM Premier League in Exeter on Thursday after three weeks without claiming a weekly trophy.
It has hardly been disastrous for Mighty Mike so far, sitting third in the early standings, but he is yet to reach a final which will disappoint him.
However, he is hardly worried, having been playing in the Premier League since he won the tournament on debut in 2013.
He says he is in a good state of mind even if his form is not at its peak, which he does not think all his rivals can claim.
‘I’ve been playing in the Premier League for a little while, so to perform in front of all those people, it gives you joy, it gives you energy, and that’s what’s so nice about darts,’ Van Gerwen told Sky Sports.
‘A lot of people, they don’t have a mindset. You know what I mean? They just say they have a mindset, but they’re weak as f***. And that’s the way how it is.
‘You have to be honest to yourself, and when something is good, it’s good. When it is bad, it’s bad, and you have to move on, you have to face the problems, and when things don’t go your way, you have to work on it, and then have to move forward.
‘(Talk about my form) happens when I am not even playing my best darts, so could you imagine if I played my best darts?’
Van Gerwen has Rob Cross in his opener on Thursday night, while Gerwyn Price and Luke Humphries meet in a tasty quarter-final clash.
Chris Dobey plays Nathan Aspinall, while Stephen Bunting faces Luke Littler, with the Bullet feeling very confident at the moment, despite sitting at the foot of the table.
‘I don’t think I’ve ever been as good as I am now,’ Bunting told BetMGM. ‘The consistency and form that I have shown, with title wins and making it to the latter stages of tournaments, breeds confidence.
‘Gone are the days where I used to turn up and be a fixture and fitting. People look at me now and believe I can win these titles. I believe I can win any tournament – that really makes me difficult to beat.’
Defending champion Littler is in his way first on Thursday, but Bunting is not fazed, feeling like he can go on to lift the trophy this year.
‘Winning over 17 weeks would be life-changing for not just me, but my family. It would be one of the biggest tournaments I’ve ever won,’ he said.
‘A lot of hard work has to be done – but I’m in it to win it. It’s a team effort for me and my family and, if we all pull together, I can win the Premier League.’
