But he must win soon...
Thursday 19 February 2015 19:12, UK
Stephen Bunting can use a rowdy home crowd to upset Phil Taylor on Thursday night, says Wayne Mardle.
Premier League Darts arrives at Liverpool’s Echo Arena this week and the city will be fully behind their local son Bunting, believes Mardle.
But the Sky Sports expert has warned that the Liverpudlian must quickly rebound from his two Premier League defeats or face a swift elimination.
“If you’re going to beat someone at the Echo Arena, beat Phil Taylor,” Mardle said.
“I think people want to see Taylor get beaten more than anyone. They want him to win and average 120 or lose. I think 90 percent of the crowd will want to see Bunting win.
“Taylor has a lot of fans but people want to see the favourite beaten so when he loses, the crowd go home happy. People love an underdog, don’t they?
“Bunting’s got to start putting legs on the board because he’s taken a couple of hidings. If he does lose, okay losing isn’t good, but at least take five legs. If you come detached with points and legs, you’ve had it. The first week James Wade was there for the taking and that was an error.”
Thrive
I think people want to see Taylor get beaten more than anyone. They want him to win and average 120 or lose. I think 90 percent of the crowd will want to see Bunting win.
Mardle believes that the Premier League debutant has the ability and spirit to use the Liverpool crowd to his advantage despite the sizeable challenge that Taylor presents.
“Bunting will thrive in it,” he continued. “He’ll be overjoyed to be playing there.
“He’s got a real belief but he’s a quick player so if he does get nervous his speediness and rapid throwing will counteract it.
“He had this belief in the BDO in about 2011-2012, he made a mess of the world championship and then won it. Since then he’s been a different animal – and what a player he’s been in the PDC so far.
“If he was worried by big games he wouldn’t have joined the PDC in the first place, he would have stayed in his comfort zone.”
Massive lift
Mardle recalls his own days playing in front of a home crowd and believes Bunting can reap similar benefits.
“I used to live seven miles from the Circus Tavern,” he said. “That gave me a massive lift playing there because I was the most supported player – more so than Taylor and Barney. A lot of people cheered for me.
“It gave you the edge to never, ever lose focus or switch off. You can’t switch off when it’s your own crowd behind you. There’s a belief instilled in you, from them. There was no better venue than the Circus Tavern for me, I was the local lad.
“Bunting is the same. He’s a world champion and with that comes responsibility. He plays how the game should be played – quickly, with no mucking around."
Watch Premier League Darts on Thursday at 7pm on Sky Sports 1.
