Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price secure Premier League play-off spots as final four for O2 confirmed

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Humphries qualified after a sparkling victory in Birmingham where he ended Luke Littler’s ten-match winning streak on Thursday.

The defending champion has struggled for much of the league phase, but has come good when it mattered as he followed up victory over Littler by beating Price in the final at the Utilita Arena.

His victory means the top four is sewn up ahead of next week’s final league round in Sheffield as he joins Littler, Jonny Clayton and Price at the O2 on May 28.

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Seven-time champion Michael van Gerwen misses out for a second successive year, while debutant Gian van Veen’s debut campaign will also end in Sheffield, along with Stephen Bunting and Josh Rock.

Humphries said after: "It’s relief. You see from the way I felt at the end.

"It's been a struggle this year. I’ve worked incredibly hard, changed to my old points, my old flights, and it worked for me.

"We’ve all been through those stages, it shows true grit from that position I was in. To get through takes some determination and I’m proud of that.

"I’m just incredibly proud of myself, probably the most proud I’ve ever been in my life. The last three weeks there’s been a lot of pressure on my shoulders.

"When you’re five points from the top four you kind of think, 'Well you need a miracle here'. I’m really happy I can go back to the O2 and at least give it a chance."

Price, who withdrew from last week’s event in Leeds due to illness, guaranteed himself a trip to the capital with victories over Dutch pair Van Gerwen and Van Veen.

There were familiar feelings of early defeats for Stephen Bunting and Josh Rock, who has won just four of 14 matches in a debut campaign he will want to forget.