Adrian Lewis and Phil Taylor won the World Cup together as England team-mates at the weekend, but they'll be the best of enemies when they highlight the opening night of the return of the McCoys Premier League Darts.

Taylor and Lewis beat Australians Paul Nicholson and Simon Whitlock in a dramatic World Cup final at the weekend, but now face a quick turnaround for the start of a new Premier League season.

The line-up for this year's McCoys Premier League is one of the strongest ever, and it gets underway in Manchester on Thursday with Taylor facing Lewis in a high-profile start to the new campaign.

The Stoke rivals will enjoy huge support with Manchester not too far from home, and despite their friendship they will be going all out to start the new league season with a win.

"We've got a love hate relationship going, I love him and he hates me," 15-time world champion Taylor told Sky Sports News.

Home venue

"For both of us it's a home venue, we're only 40 minutes away so it's great for us, we'll really enjoy it. We'll try hard, we won't be going around saying I hate you, we'll try hard and be professional but it should be a great game.

"People don't realise how hard it is doing this week in week out for 15 weeks including the finals, it's really hard.

"For me personally it's nearly as big as the World Championship and it's a tournament you can't win in one or two weeks, it's a marathon and you've got to be consistent."

Lewis has already had a fine 2012 after defending his world title and winning the World Cup, and success in the Premier League would be another huge bonus.

"You're up there to do a job, we put our friendship aside for these big games and we just get up there and play and may the best man win," Lewis said of his meeting with Taylor.

"It's the first round, first week of the Premier League, it's going to be tough playing against the man, but I'm looking forward to it.

"This tournament is all about consistency can't really afford to have a bad week, you've got to concentrate all the way through it.

"Looking at the line-up I think it's the strongest we've ever had so it's going to be the most difficult Premier League we've ever had. It's getting bigger and bigger."