Both men fail to find their doubles at multiple times of asking, including Van Gerwen busting when missing his hopes of taking a 10 checkout.

Smith just about gets it done to go 4-2 up, checking out 20, but he takes a little stumble on his follow through. One leg that both men will want to forget.

The scoring standard is improving from both here as both men average over 100 in this fifth leg.

Van Gerwen is finally able to win his own leg at the first time of asking with at 87 checkout. Smith leads 3-2.

Image source, PA Media

Michael Smith finally is able to make his throw count, something which both men have simply failed at so far in this match.

Smith, with an unorthodox checkout of 45, takes it out with a tops to go 3-1 up.

Rod Studd
Commentator on Sky Sports

The two legs in which Van Gerwen threw first, Smith has won them in 25 darts. That's the standard you need to break throw in the 2024 Premier League.

In the third leg of this match, neither of the Michaels are able to make the most of having the throw.

Smith, who starts the leg with five perfect darts, takes out 36 for another break of throw. Smith leads 2-1.

With tonight being a big chance for Van Gerwen to close the seven-point gap at the top of the table that Luke Humphries has, he knows a win is crucial here.

Van Gerwen takes out 87 in two darts to level things up.

Image source, PA Media

It takes eight darts for MVG to find a treble and he struggles to initially make the most of his advantage with the darts.

Smith pounces and is left with three darts to take out double 19. He does so in one, breaking Van Gerwen with a 13-dart leg.

In the build-up to tonight's matches, Sky Sports pundits John Part and Wayne Mardle suggested that the winner tonight in Belfast is likely to come from one of the first two quarter-final matches of the evening.

Luke Littler was excellent in a hard-earned victory over Luke Humphries and Michael Smith v Michael van Gerwen has the potential to be another brilliant encounter.

Van Gerwen to throw first, game on!

Michael Smith, speaking to Sky Sports: "[I need to] win more matches. I started off well and then I went four weeks without a win. I just need to put a few wins together. Even winning the first round for the next eight weeks would put me on 29 points, which should definitely get me into the top four. It doesn't matter how bad or how good we're playing, it's always a good game [against Van Gerwen]."

Michael van Gerwen, speaking to Sky Sports: "I can't do any worse. I've lost in the last four weeks but I've put in some good performances. He's a nice player to play against, he's a cool guy and we normally get the best out of each other."

Image source, Getty Images

We've just had 'Luke v Luke' to kick things off in Belfast. Next up, it is 'Michael v Michael' as Smith faces Van Gerwen.

Smith, who was victorious on night one in Cardiff, reached the final a week ago in Dublin before falling at the final hurdle against Luke Humphries.

Van Gerwen goes into the game off the back of a significant dip in results. Having won nights two, three and four, the Dutchman has failed to advance past his quarter-final in each of the past four weeks. His form, however, was better in the past two weeks in defeats by Gerwyn Price and Luke Littler.

Expect another tight match here. In the 2024 Premier League, the two Michaels have faced each other twice, winning one each. Both encounters ended in a 6-5 scoreline.

That really was a superb game, played at a fantastic pace.

Luke Littler slightly edged the scoring - 102.02 to 99.83. The Nuke threw seven 180s, while there were just two from Luke Humphries.

Littler took out 50% of his checkouts, with Humphries at a respectable 38.5% too.

What a start to the evening.

Image source, PA Media

Luke Littler ends Luke Humphries' winning run! There will be no record fourth successive night win for the world champion.

There was plenty of pressure on the Littler throw from Humphries, opening up a 86-point lead after six darts.

Littler then threw 140 and 139 and got the first crack at a checkout. He went slightly unconventional for his 68 but he sinks double 10 for the win.

There's a huge celebration from the teenager too, before a long embrace with Humphries.

That's 4-0 to Littler against Humphries since Humphries' World Championship final victory on 3 January.

Image source, PA Media

Luke Humphries is under pressure and needs to take out 108 but goes inside on double 16.

Luke Littler comes back with 70 remaining. He leaves match dart on double tops, but he's too high.

Humphries needs three darts to tidy up 16 but does it.

Wayne Mardle
Former World Championship semi-finalist on Sky Sports

Littler has got incredible match awareness for a 17-year-old.

HUGE from Luke Littler. He knows it too, letting out a huge roar.

Luke Humphries puts pressure on, leaving just 81, and Littler can't take out 138.

Humphries misses bullseye for an 81 and Littler comes back to take out 40, via three darts, for the leg.

My days. I'm running out of superlatives.

Neither of these players want to even slightly leave the door ajar for the other.

There's a superb rhythm to the game and Luke Humphries superbly takes out 148 with the minimum of fuss to take us level again.

Can he force a break, though? He needs one.

Mark Webster
Former BDO world champion on Sky Sports

If he can grab himself a break here, that's an insurance policy for Littler. He doesn't need to find a break, Humphries does.

This is truly exceptional. Luke Littler has hit SIX 180s already.

His checkout percentage is up at 57.1% as he again lands double tops to go ahead again.

He has the throw remember. Could that be key?

Image source, PA Media

This is an unbelievable game at the moment - and they are absolutely flying through the legs!

Luke Littler is ready to pounce on 47 but Luke Humphries isn't giving him a chance.

Cool Hand sinks the bullseye to keep us level.

Luke Littler is firing them in. That's four maximums in four legs.

It leads to him taking the leg this time as he tidies up 64 with double tops to edge ahead again.

We're still on throw, though.