Michael van Gerwen has declared he doesn't "give a f**k" about his Premier League prospects, despite finding himself in a precarious position in the standings.
The Dutch star currently occupies fifth spot in the table, trailing Luke Humphries by two points in the battle for the final play-off berth.
With only two nights of regular season action left, the World No 4 faces a challenging task to secure his place among the top four.
Van Gerwen's blunt assessment of his situation came following his Austrian Open campaign in Graz, where he was eliminated by Rob Cross on Sunday.
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The defeat to Cross represented a missed opportunity for the Dutchman, particularly given that world No1 Luke Littler had opted not to participate in the Austrian event.
Prior to his exit, Van Gerwen had dispatched Krzysztof Ratajski in impressive fashion, demonstrating the quality that has made him one of the sport's most decorated players.
Michael van Gerwen has struggled for consistency in the Premier League this term
|PA
Speaking about his victory over the Polish thrower, he said: "Krzysztof is in really good form and playing good darts and then you have to do something special. That is exactly what I did today."
The performance suggested his game remains in strong shape despite the Premier League concerns.
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Five facts darts fans might not know | PA/GBNEWSVan Gerwen acknowledged he has rediscovered his rhythm in recent weeks, stating: "I am playing some good darts lately. In the last two weeks I have picked up a good feeling and good momentum.
"But you have to show it in the games. I did that today and everyone knows what I am capable of."
The three-time world champion conceded that 2025 had been a difficult campaign, noting his need to perform strongly on the ProTour and European Tour rankings.
"I didn't have a good year last year, everyone knows that," he admitted.
Michael van Gerwen will feature in the final two nights of Premier League action
|PA
Van Gerwen's attention now turns to his Premier League clash with Gerwyn Price at Night 15 in Birmingham on Thursday.
The Dutchman will then have one final opportunity to secure his play-off spot when the competition concludes in Sheffield on 21 May.
"My main focus is this tournament, simple as that. What happens next Thursday I don't really give a f**k," he stated.
Meanwhile, Josh Rock claimed the £35,000 top prize in Graz, defeating Kevin Doets 8-6 in the final to lift the Austrian Open title.