Michael van Gerwen is set to make his comeback in Premier League Darts on Thursday in Belfast, despite admitting he is not fully recovered from recent health issues. The three-time world champion missed multiple tournaments over the past week, including the Premier League night in Glasgow, the Poland Darts Open, and two Players Championships in Leicester. Van Gerwen declined to specify the exact nature of his ailment but told AD.nl, "I'm feeling much better, but I was really poorly. I'll be there on Thursday. Tomorrow I'm flying to Northern Ireland. I'm not completely fit yet, but fit enough."
The 36-year-old's return comes after a strong start to the season, which he began by winning the Bahrain Darts Masters and reaching the final of the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters, where he lost to Luke Littler. In the Premier League, Van Gerwen took the nightly win in Newcastle in the opening week by beating Gian van Veen in the final, then made the final again in Antwerp but was defeated by Gerwyn Price. Until his absence in Glasgow, he was leading the Premier League table.
Van Gerwen's first opponent in Belfast will be Gerwyn Price, offering a direct chance to rejoin the battle for top spot. The main question is how sharp he will be after a spell without match rhythm, as he has not played an official match since Antwerp. Despite this, his words convey confidence, with the physical issues seemingly under control, though he acknowledges not being fully recovered. Belfast will test whether "fit enough" is sufficient for another push for the nightly win and to reinforce his position near the top of the Premier League.
