Monday 30 November 2015 16:12, UK
Peter Wright has the ability and talent to cause a major upset and walk away with his first PDC World Darts Championship title, says Wayne Mardle.
The world No 4 from Scotland has a tough-looking opening round match against 23-year-old Keegan Brown from Durham.
Brown, who won his first Players Championship title earlier this year, has been tipped to become 'the new MVG' in some quarters.
While Wright was busy reaching his first Alexandra Palace showpiece against Michael van Gerwen in 2014, Brown was breaking on to the darts scene having won the World Youth title earlier in the year.
But Mardle believes Wright will have too much for 'The Needle' when the tournament gets underway, live on the dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel, which will replace Sky Sports F1 from 6.00am on Monday December 14.
"Peter Wright for me is looking so good - I fancy him to win it," said Sky Sports darts expert Mardle. "I've backed him to win it because I think he's in the right half and what I mean by that is Michael van Gerwen.
"Michael van Gerwen is the player to beat, but when you've had such a dominant year, and I'm not on about his recent last couple of results, from the World Championships onwards - I know he didn't win the Premier League - but he's won everything else that the world of darts have to offer.
"I think that he could well over try. When you've been that dominant, I'm thinking he may have that mental block or try too hard in the Worlds.
"Peter Wright is playing with a fluency and the confidence of a man that knows he can win it because he is showing that form.
"Forget the odds, he's been beaten in a final before and he's better than that player from two years ago and I think that other players know that he has the game and more importantly, he knows he has the game."
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