Nathan Aspinall said Michael van Gerwen looked like he had “given up” as he dealt him a 6-2 loss in their Premier League quarter-final on Night 16 in Sheffield to end his chances of making the Play-Offs.

The focus of the final night of the regular season was all on the match-up between Aspinall and van Gerwen. Aspinall needed to just beat the Dutchman to ensure he would be at London’s O2 on May 29.

Meanwhile, Van Gerwen would have had to have beat Aspinall and then gone onto win the entire night to snatch the fourth spot away.

While drama looked inevitable in the build-up, it ended up being a routinely comfortable win for Aspinall against the three-time world champion, Van Gerwen looking somewhat dejected throughout the entire encounter as he could not get firing.

It is something he has struggled with throughout his entire campaign having not picked up a nightly win in 2025 and Aspinall noticed that “something was off”.

“There was a lot of emotion after walking off stage. I had to take myself away. I spoke so highly of Michael all week and go and win tonight,” Aspinall told Sky Sports.

“I don’t know what is going on but he didn’t look himself again. Even on that stage, he was giving up.”

However, Aspinall ensured that he gave himself credit for staying composed under pressure and finally getting himself back to a Finals Night after being the nearly man for so long.

“I have got to look at myself and I thought I put in a fantastic performance under that pressure,” he added.

“It was an amazing performance and I am just so proud of myself.

“It has been a stressful six weeks but I think I can now relax and enjoy this next game against Luke [Humphries].”

Mardle: MVG has just looked off | Missing Finals Night a ‘massive blow’

Wayne Mardle agreed with Aspinall that ever since Van Gerwen missed Berlin due to a shoulder injury he has not looked himself and feels that the Dutchman missing the Play-Offs is a “massive blow” in a period where he is looking for confidence.

“I feel for Michael, The man is a champion, a winner. It is only the second time he has not made the play-offs,” Mardle said.

“He has said it, he has not been good enough at times.

“I don’t know how he feels within, he has just looked off.

“To not have won a week, he won four last year, that is a real blow for him.

“He came into this as the third favourite behind the Lukes and it was all going okay. Then it kind of took a turn for the worst.

“I don’t know how bad the injury was but since missing Berlin he has played slightly well in my opinion.”

Where does the Premier League head next?

The Premier League concludes at the O2 Arena, London on Thursday May 29 as table-topping Luke Littler takes on Nathan Aspinall and then Luke Humphries takes on Gerwyn Price in the other semi-final. Watch Finals Night of Premier League Darts, in London, live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action from 7pm – stream with NOW.

Sky Sports will once again be the home of the Premier League in 2025, with every night exclusively live along with the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts and more! Stream darts and more top sport with NOW