MVG admits he needs to “flip the switch” in PL

By Phil Lanning

MICHAEL van Gerwen admits he has to “flip the switch” to regain his Premier League title.

The dynamic Dutchman remains third in the table after two blocks of matches yet has only shown flashes of his normal brilliance. 

MVG, 31, missed out on the title last year following four successive wins and admits he needs to up his game when it returns on May 5.

He lost to Jonny Clayton on Thursday night and revealed on RTL7: “Nothing worked, everything I tried went wrong. After that, I started throwing too tightly. Jonny started not great either, but I was not able to do more and then of course he got a lot of confidence. 

“This week’s conclusion is that I have achieved two points too few.

“However, nothing has been lost yet, everyone is still close together. I look forward to playing in Germany this weekend, although I will have to flip the switch after this weak performance.”

Van Gerwen also defended being particularly loud celebrations during the win over Jose de Sousa earlier in the week.

He added: “When I play well it comes out automatically. I’m not going to celebrate when I get 100. I do it when it really matters.

“It’s not that I do it on purpose, it’s the adrenaline that comes out the body. People have to understand that. 

“Because there’s no crowd you have to make the game yourself. 

“I know there’s a lot of players who want to create an image around them and try to do the same as what I do.

“But I’m doing it natural. It’s not that I press the button and say I’m going to do it now. That’s not what I’m like.”

Images by Taylor Lanning.