'Something has to change. He looks like a wounded animal' - Concerns raised over Michael van Gerwen

The fifteenth night of the 2025 Premier League Darts sesson ended in a bitter disappointment for Michael van Gerwen, as the Dutchman suffered a 6-3 quarterfinal defeat to Nathan Aspinall in Aberdeen.

To make matters worse, Aspinall went on to win the night, leapfrogging Van Gerwen into fourth place in the league table — the final playoff spot. With just one week of the regular league phase remaining, Aspinall now holds a four point advantage over Van Gerwen, leaving the five-time Premier League Darts champion’s hopes of making the playoffs once again, hanging by a thread.

Van Gerwen, who hasn’t won a single night in this year’s competition, now faces a must-win scenario next Thursday night in Sheffield. Not only must he beat Aspinall in the quarterfinals, he also has to go on and win the night outright to snatch that final spot at the O2 Arena in the playoffs.

“It’s not looking good,” said fellow Dutchman Vincent van der Voort on Viaplay. “Aspinall played with real grit and was simply the better player. With Michael, it’s hit and miss — sometimes good, sometimes very average. The form just isn’t there, and there’s little time to turn it around.”

Van der Voort didn’t mince words about his friend’s slump. Van Gerwen has managed just one ranking title all year — the German Darts Grand Prix in April, where he beat Gian van Veen in the final.