Jonny Clayton tops the Premier League table after seven nights, and no one should be surprised at his incredible performances.
Clayton returned to the PDC’s premier tournament following a two-year absence, competing in a tournament where he’s enjoyed success.
The Ferret won the Premier League in 2021 and has reached Finals Night on each of his three appearances in the competition, with that trend set to continue in 2026.
Currently three points clear of Luke Littler at the top, Clayton has secured two nightly wins and only been knocked out in the quarter-final stage once, with that defeat coming against Luke Humphries in Dublin last week.
How many points could Jonny Clayton need to secure Premier League top-four finish
Clayton faces two back-to-back quarter-finals against Josh Rock in Berlin and Manchester, giving him an incredible chance of solidifying his position in the top four.
Rock has endured a disastrous debut Premier League campaign, with seven defeats in as many matches and an average in the 80s for the most part.
The Northern Irishman was even whitewashed 6-0 by Gerwyn Price last Thursday, and that will fill Clayton with hope of piling even more misery onto the 24-year-old.
The Welshman returned to the Premier League with a 6-2 victory over Rocky, and if he replicates that success in Berlin, he will have one foot in the play-offs.
In three of the last four campaigns since the format changed, the player in fourth place has accumulated 24 points, with Michael Smith finishing fourth with 29 points in 2024.
Since 2022, an average of 25 points has been required to finish in the play-offs, and Clayton is only six away from that total with eight nights left.
Clayton has already said he’s targeting two points per week, as a few more wins should guarantee him a Finals Night spot at London’s 02 Arena.
Clayton’s best league phase came in 2022
It’s been an extraordinary 2026 for the world No. 5 so far, not just in the Premier League.
| Pos | Player | Pts | Matches Won |
| 1 | Jonny Clayton | 19 | 11 |
| 2 | Luke Littler | 16 | 8 |
| 3 | Gerwyn Price | 12 | 7 |
| 4 | Luke Humphries | 11 | 6 |
| 5 | Michael van Gerwen | 10 | 5 |
| 6 | Gian van Veen | 9 | 6 |
| 7 | Stephen Bunting | 7 | 4 |
| 8 | Josh Rock | 0 | 0 |
Clayton has regularly reached the back end of tournaments, including a defeat to Humphries in the final of the Belgian Darts Open on Sunday.
But even an in-form Clayton would find it difficult to beat his tally of 40 points in the 2022 Premier League, as he won 24 of his 36 matches and clinched four nightly wins.
Indeed, a return of 22 points from the final eight nights is what the 51-year-old needs to beat that record, and that would take some doing.
