Sam Drury
BBC Sport at AO Arena

Luke Humphries is getting more and more frustrated. There is a little reaction almost every time a dart doesn't find its mark at the moment.

Wayne Mardle
Former World Matchplay finalist on Sky Sports

Luke Humphries has not played badly but you don't need to play badly in the Premier League to get a hiding. It is all about timing.

Two 140s for Gerwyn Price move him far enough ahead that even when Luke Humphries hits his first 180 it's too late as Price can just nail tops for the leg.

Wayne Mardle
Former World Matchplay finalist on Sky Sports

That is a real nick. That feels like a pinch.

Nothing is going Luke Humphries' way at the moment.

Image source, PA Media

Gerwyn Price hits the first 180 of the match to leave 45 and the pressure is enough to put Luke Humphries off his 126 finish.

So Price can nip back in to steal the leg just when he looked right up against it.

Defending champion Luke Humphries stops the rot with a break of throw of his own to get back into the contest, so he can now throw to level it up.

Wayne Mardle
Former World Matchplay finalist on Sky Sports

Gerwyn Price seems to be throwing better at the moment.

Luke Humphries needs to turn it around. Can he?

Image source, PA Media

Luke Humphries misses double six for the leg and Gerwyn Price steps up and takes out another whopper - this time 135 on tops - to double his lead and grab a crucial break.

There's a big "gwaaaaan" from the Welshman as Humphries just smirks and rolls his eyes and what he's just seen in these first two legs.

Two genuine gut punches.

Wayne Mardle
Former World Matchplay finalist on Sky Sports

That is a pearler.

Gerwyn Price takes out 167 to win the opening leg. Decent start...

It was on his own throw so not much damage done for Luke Humphries but he won't want to see Price in that sort of finishing form tonight.

We had Liverpool fan Stephen Bunting and now Leeds fan Luke Humphries getting huge ovations from this crowd in Manchester tonight - good job it's darts and not football...

So who wins this? Thumbs up for Price, down for Humphries.

Luke Humphries talking to Sky Sports: "I've got to make sure I give it my all now. I need to be winning more than one game, I need to be winning a few nights now to get myself into the top four. I don't care where I finish within there, as long as I'm in there.

"I know this is the nature of the game. It is sometimes harder to win. The past two years I've started off really well an this year I haven't. I guess I need to find that second nature in myself to come back better. I'm relishing the chance to be able to do it."

Image source, Getty Images

Gerwyn Price is another player who must be sick of Luke Litter. The Welshman blew a 5-0 lead to lose 6-5 in the Dublin final and lost 6-4 in last week's semi-finals as well.

Price has been pretty solid overall though so this will be an even contest with Luke Humphries, with the pair going 4-4 across their last eight Premier League meetings.

Cool Hand needs to get a move on if he wants to start climbing back up the table as he still awaits his first weekly win of the season.

Price has hit a nine-darter the last two years in Manchester, can he do an amazing treble?

Gerwyn Price talking to Sky Sports: "Hopefully I can just concentrate on my own game, score as high as I can and take my opportunities and if I can do that I feel like I'll come through the game.

"It would be nice to have a nine-darter and give something to the crowd but first and foremost I just need to get that first win under my belt."

Wayne Mardle
Former World Matchplay finalist on Sky Sports

Luke Humphries will know if he starts hitting doubles on a regular basis he'll be fine, but we've been saying that for four, five, six weeks.

He is in there, but the game against Gerwyn Price is a big one. It isn't must-win, we're not there yet, but if he can win that and the night it would be a massive boost and normal service would be resumed.

Image source, Getty Images

Luke Humphries has flattered to deceive a bit so far in the Premier League, as he still chases a first weekly win.

He's the only man in the field apart from Luke Littler to average over 100 and he's joint-second in total 180s.

So what's the problem? Well, you just have to look at his 34.86% checkout percentage, the second worst in the league, to see where his troubles lay.

If he can just hit the outer ring with a bit more authority he'll be back in business - as you know what they say, trebles for show, doubles for dough!

John Part
Former PDC world champion on Sky Sports

It would be a good time for Luke Humphries to get a night win and get the momentum going in the right way.

He won't be panicking. He's used to playing tight matches and there are three or four players who can really push him but he's used to that.

Sam Drury
BBC Sport at AO Arena

Image source, PA Media

No doubt there would have been a few nerves creeping in from Stephen Bunting as Michael van Gerwen came surging back to 5-3.

But the Bullet went through, largely thanks to his superiority on the outer ring - he was at 66.67% compared to MVG's meagre 27.27%.

Dan Dawson
Commentator on Sky Sports

An excellent display from the Bullet and he holds off a charge from Michael van Gerwen.

Image source, Getty Images

Stephen Bunting hangs on to make his third semi-final of the season.

That was almost a classic game of two halves - Bunting in total control to go 5-0 up but then Michael van Gerwen came roaring back with a brutal burst of darts in those three legs.

Bunting only needed one leg though and when the Dutchman just dropped his level a touch the Englishman swooped in to claim a deserved victory.

MVG averaged just over 104 to Bunting's 95.7 - with finishing the key difference as the Dutchman hit just 3/11 on the doubles while Bunting hit six of nine at the outer ring.