Michael van Gerwen and Nathan Aspinall will go head-to-head in the evening’s opener, in a contest that could have significant ramifications for both players.

Aspinall is playing catch-up, but he has won three of the pair’s four meetings in this year’s Premier League.

Seven-time champion van Gerwen has, very surprisingly, not picked up a single night win so far in this year's competition.

But if the Dutchman breaks his duck tonight, his play-off place is secured.

Image source, Getty Images/BBC Sport

Every Thursday, the eight players go head-to-head in a straight knockout tournament. So, each player will be entered at the quarter-final stage, before moving to the semi-finals and then a final.

These matches are all played over the best of 11 legs (or games of darts).

Players take home points from each of these rounds. The winner of the night gets five points, the runner-up three points, and each semi-finalist wins two points.

All eight players are re-entered into the tournament for the next round on the following Thursday.

The players will meet each other once at the quarter-final stage from weeks one to seven, and then again in weeks nine to 15. The matches in weeks eight and 16 will be played based on position in the league at that point.

The four players at the top of the table by the end of night 16 qualify for the final play-offs, which take place on Thursday, 29 May.

Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price have qualified this year, with one spot still available.

The semi-finals of the play-offs are played over 19 legs, while the winner is crowned in a final match played across the best of 21 legs.

This is what we have to look forward to in Aberdeen. That first quarter-final is absolutely massive with just one play-off spot still up for grabs...

• Michael van Gerwen v Nathan Aspinall
• Gerwyn Price v Stephen Bunting
• Chris Dobey v Rob Cross
• Luke Littler v Luke Humphries

Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price have already confirmed their play-off places, with one more spot in London still up for grabs.

The men in fourth and fifth, Michael van Gerwen and Nathan Aspinall, meet in the opening round tonight.

Van Gerwen can confirm his play-off qualification if he secures his first nightly victory of the campaign in Aberdeen. Any other scenario means he could still be overtaken in Sheffield next week.

Chris Dobey and Rob Cross will also do battle in round one tonight, with both players still holding slim hopes of making the top four.

Dobey must win each of the last two league nights to have any chance, while Cross has to reach his first nightly final of 2025 to keep alive any hopes.

Stephen Bunting is already eliminated and playing for pride both tonight and next Thursday.

Here is how the table looks after Luke Humphries' triumph on night 14.

He closed the gap on Luke Littler at the top, while Gerwyn Price also secured his spot at finals night as well.

That's because Michael van Gerwen faces Nathan Aspinall in the quarter-finals tonight.

Those two will be battling it out for that final play-off spot over the next two weeks...

Image source, BBC Sport

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Just three more nights to go...

Welcome to the penultimate evening of the 2025 Premier League Darts league stage, tonight coming from Aberdeen's P&J Live arena.

Three men have secured their spot in the play-offs at the end of this month, but there remains a space up for grabs.

Who will take it, and who will triumph in Scotland tonight?