Taylor to hit target at 5-4

Phil Taylor should be backed at a top-priced 5-4 (Boylesports and Sporting Bet) to confirm his return to form by beating his arch rival Raymond van Barneveld in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League at the Nottingham Arena on Thursday.

Taylor, the 13-times world champion, has seen van Barneveld usurp him in the rankings this year and would have been easy to back against the Dutchman were this match being played after his 8-3 loss to Peter Manley at the Ricoh Arena a fortnight ago, his third defeat in his opening four games in the tournament.

However, The Power, who changed his darts before the Premier League, has suddenly clicked with his new arrows, looking the player of years past when avenging his World Championship defeat to Wayne Mardle with an 8-0 league drubbing in Bournemouth last week.

Taylor continued in the same vein in two non-televised events in Essex last weekend, winning Saturday’s Players Championship and reaching the final of the Blue Square UK Open Regional Final the following day.

Van Barneveld, who regained top spot in the Premier League with an 8-6 victory over James Wade last week, is best-priced at 6-4 with VC Bet. The draw is available at 9-2 with Sporting Bet.

Wade, whose defeat to van Barneveld was his first league reverse this season, should oblige money-buyers at 1-3 in his match against a winless Mardle.

Other matches on the night see Adrian Lewis face world champion John Part, while Terry Jenkins will seek to follow up his wins over Taylor, van Barneveld and Part in the past three weeks with a victory over Manley.