Afternoon Session (1200 GMT)

• TV Coverage: Sky Sports
• Format: Round three, best of seven sets

Ryan Joyce (11/8) v Ryan Searle (8/15)

• Three-dart average (2024): 93.73 – 95.74
• 180s per leg (2024): 0.21 – 0.26
• Checkout % (2024): 43.71% – 39.92%

Ryan Searle would have been one of the few players disappointed about having a long Christmas break to disrupt their rhythm after he produced a sublime performance to breeze past Matt Campbell last Sunday.

Whereas the majority battled through with below-par displays from a statistical point of view and were probably just relieved to go home for a mental recharge ahead of the business stage of the tournament, Searle would have been wishing his next round was the following day having averaged just shy of 100 and only dropped one leg.

This is the seventh year in a row Searle has been involved in the post-Christmas phase of the tournament although he’s bowed out at this stage in each of the last two editions and never gone beyond round four.

Ryan Joyce deserved his break following a pair of solid 3-1 victories over Darius Labanauskas and Danny Noppert achieved with averages in the low 90s, and this is the first time he’s ventured this far since going as far as the quarter-finals way back in 2019.

Based on their seasonal form it’s a very tough one to call but if this goes at least six sets, then I’d sooner back the better doubler in tense situations, so that’s why I’m marginally giving the edge to Joyce.

Predicted scoreline: 4-3

Scott Williams (4/6) v Ricardo Pietreczko (11/10)

• Three-dart average (2024): 91.37 – 90.22
• 180s per leg (2024): 0.28 – 0.15
• Checkout % (2024): 41.83% – 37.52%

Scott Williams’ Christmas pudding would have tasted a little sweeter than usual after overcoming his practice partner Rob Cross in the last match before the break, but he’ll want to improve on that performance when he comes up against Ricardo Pietreczko.

In what was billed as a potential cracker but ended up being more of a damp squib, neither Williams nor Cross were anywhere near their best with averages well under 90.

Shaggy does obviously play his best darts when he’s the overwhelming crowd favourite on the Ally Pally stage and he’ll be delighted to playing an opponent who struggles in these kind of atmospheres, even though he’ll have a good section of travelling German supporters behind him.

Williams played his part in one of the matches of the first round when overcoming rising German star Niko Springer with a high 90s average while Ricardo Pietreczko was fortunate to come up against Zong Xiao Chen and a below par Gian van Veen.

The Englishman also came through a classic with another German in Martin Schindler this time last year so if the fans rattle Pietreczko off his game enough, it could be a relatively dominant victory.

Predicted scoreline: 4-2

Nathan Aspinall (4/9) v Andrew Gilding (13/8)

• Three-dart average (2024): 94.41 – 92.17
• 180s per leg (2024): 0.26 – 0.22
• Checkout % (2024): 36.51% – 39.34%

Nathan Aspinall is not only playing for his world title dreams but also his hopes of clinging onto a spot in next season’s Premier League, which he loves being a part of more than most rivals.

Having finished fifth in his fourth campaign earlier this year, a mixture of form and injuries have contributed to him sliding down to 12th in the world rankings prior to this tournament and defeat this early would put him at greater risk of missing out.

Andrew Gilding would only ever be considered for an alternative Premier League selected by darts hipsters but that’s more down to his style and image rather than his darting abilities which can certainly pose problems for Aspinall if he’s not operating at the top of his game.

You can’t image Goldfinger’s rhythm bringing the best out of the Asp, who only averaged 88 and threw three 180s in a 3-1 win over Leonard Gates, and it could end up being quite an arduous affair.

Gilding doesn’t tend to throw many maximums himself at a rate of just 0.22 per leg throughout the season although he did somewhat surprisingly manage six in 16 legs during his victory over Martin Lukeman, averaging 93 along the way.

I don’t have a strong feeling either way to be honest, other than it being hard to watch.

Predicted scoreline: 3-4

Evening Session (1900 GMT)

• TV Coverage: Sky Sports
• Format: Round three, best of seven sets

Chris Dobey (4/6) v Josh Rock (11/10)

• Three-dart average (2024): 97.41 – 95.88
• 180s per leg (2024): 0.34 – 0.31
• Checkout % (2024): 38.46% – 40.55%

Chris Dobey was my big priced outsider in the bottom half of the draw to potentially go as far as winning this world title and his solid start before Christmas certainly didn’t dampen my enthusiasm about his chances.

Hollywood’s 3-1 victory over Alexander Merkx was his first on a major televised stage since the opening round of the World Matchplay back in July and his average of 95.6 was among the better ones we saw in the first half of the tournament.

Josh Rock will have been a fairly common ‘dark horse’ before a dart was thrown although anyone who backed him won’t have been too thrilled to see him average just 87 during his 3-0 victory over debutant Rhys Griffin.

To be fair to Rock, he wasn’t pushed by the Welshman at all and we could expect a much more entertaining affair if Dobey’s much higher standards brings the best out of him.

They both hit 180s had a pretty prolific rate (0.34 per leg v 0.31 per leg) and although Rock only managed three in 11 scrappy legs last time out, Dobey managed six in 14 legs without even playing to his optimum levels.

Predicted scoreline: 4-2

SELECTION: 16+ 180s in the match and 3+ 100+ checkouts at 11/8 (Sky Bet)

Michael van Gerwen (1/7) v Brendan Dolan (4/1)

• Three-dart average (2024): 97.19 – 91.54
• 180s per leg (2024): 0.28 – 0.19
• Checkout % (2024): 41.01% – 38.89%

Michael van Gerwen didn’t need to get out of second gear to cruise past James Hurrell in his opening match almost a week ago and since then he’ll have enjoyed watching almost all the others seed in his quarter of the draw tumble out – especially Gary Anderson.

However, of the two rival seeds still standing in this section, MVG plays one of them next in Brendan Dolan and he’ll be only too aware what damage he did at this stage of the tournament 12 months ago.

The Northern Irishman took out both Gerwyn Price and Anderson before crashing out to Luke Littler in the quarter-finals while the last time van Gerwen faced Dolan at the 2023 World Matchplay, he suffered a shock 10-7 exit.

Dolan’s slow meticulous style isn’t ideal for the free-flowing players and if MVG gets off to a slow start, it could easily be a long, frustrating night for him – win or lose.

Van Gerwen hasn’t actually lost a third-round match at the Ally Pally since the 2016 edition when Raymond van Barneveld defeated him 4-3 in one of the most iconic matches ever seen on this stage and although the Dutchman isn’t at his intimidating best these days, you’d think over this length of format, he should still possess enough firepower to get the job done.

Predicted scoreline: 4-2

Luke Littler (1/33) v Ian White (10/1)

• Three-dart average (2024): 99.28 – 91.16
• 180s per leg (2024): 0.40 – 0.20
• Checkout % (2024): 41.40% – 38.51%

Luke Littler keeps finding new ways to break the internet.

If it’s not hitting nine-darters, winning titles or taking out unconventionally brilliant finishes, it’s now mind-bogglingly insane set averages of 140.91!

When you consider how much he was struggling to find his usual high octane rhythm before that set – and also the emotional pressure we later found out he was was dealing with, it makes his latest record-breaking achievement even more remarkable.

Those tears and post-match hugs with his parents were obviously another reason he went viral and it served us with a reminder that he is still just a kid with an unfathomable ability that anyone who loves this great sport would give their non-throwing arm to have.

For him to later open up and admit it was the first occasion he’d really felt those kind of nerves since bursting onto the scene was extremely mature of him and underlined his tremendous temperament. He didn’t have to face the media. Everyone would have completely understood if he’d swerved interviews and headed home for Christmas with his family.

But getting it all off his chest so calmly will hopefully haven taken a lot of pressure off his shoulders and helped him reset for the rest of the tournament, where Ian White better be braced for some fireworks.

In my preview of Littler’s last game against Ryan Meikle, I did say I’d commit a small stake to a nine-darter every time he plays due to the astonishing regularity he brings it into genuine play.

We all know he’s hit a record-equalling four perfect legs this year – including once in the Premier League final and two others in stage tournaments – but he also missed double 12 twice at the Grand Slam of Darts and then came agonisingly close to it again during that astonishing set against Meikle.

It was additionally frustrating for me to miss out on a 22/1 winner and now the same bet is 12/1 – although to be fair, there are potentially plenty more legs in this clash than there was against Meikle.

Trying to find a less ‘dreamy’ bet depends on how many legs White you think can possibly take and to give both players the best possible chance of reaching various 180 and 100+ checkout targets.

There were 14 maximums in just 16 legs in Littler v Meikle but Diamond managed just two in the same number of legs against Ritchie Edhouse, averaging just 88.

I expect one-way traffic on the maximums, even if Littler were to wrap the match up 4-0 in around 16 or so legs given the stark difference in their 180 per leg rates and obviously if White picks up a set, the longer they play, the more likely the teenage sensation is to dominate that market.

Predicted scoreline: 4-0

SELECTIONS: 1pt Luke Littler (-5.5) to hit more 180s than Ian White at 11/10 (General) & 0.5pts for a nine-darter in the match at 12/1 (General)

ALSO READ: HOW LUKE LITTLER WON £1MILLION IN ONE SEASON