Van Gerwen beats Littler for Premier League night win

Seven-time champion Michael van Gerwen beat Luke Littler 6-3 to win his fourth Premier League event of the season in the night 11 final in Birmingham.

The Dutchman had won three nights on the spin from night two to four, but had been eliminated in five of the past six quarter-finals.

He showed glimpses of his best to beat Littler, who was aiming for a record-equalling third successive night win.

Littler tops the table ahead of world champion Luke Humphries and Van Gerwen.

All three are in a strong position to reach the play-offs at London's O2 Arena on 23 May.

Quarter-finals

Peter Wright 4-6 Luke Humphries

Rob Cross 5-6 Luke Littler

Gerwyn Price 3-6 Michael Smith

Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Nathan Aspinall

Semi-finals

Humphries 5-6 Littler

Smith 4-6 Van Gerwen

Final

Littler 3-6 Van Gerwen

The Premier League Darts is played across 16 initial weeks in the league stage with quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final each night.

Each of the eight players is guaranteed to face the other seven in the quarter-finals in weeks 1-7 and 9-15, with weeks 8 and 16's fixtures done off the table. It means we'll get fourth v fifth in Sheffield on the final league-stage night, with the play-off spots potentially on the line.

Players earn two points per quarter-final win, an additional point if they win their semi-final and five for winning the night.

The top four players after the group-stage progress to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with first facing fourth and second against third in a best-of-19 leg match. The final, which is the best of 21 legs, follows.

If players are level on points after the 16 weeks then places are decided by nights won and then matches won.

18 April in Rotterdam

Quarter-finals

Michael Smith v Luke Littler

Rob Cross v Gerwyn Price

Peter Wright v Nathan Aspinall

Michael van Gerwen v Luke Humphries