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The pair drew 7-all when they met in Bournemouth last month, with a crowd of 3,000 fans seeing van Barneveld win the final three legs to snatch a point.

They both remain unbeaten going into Thursday's showdown at The Dome, and Taylor is looking forward to the contest.

"I wasn't disappointed after the draw, I was excited," he said. "It was a brilliant atmosphere and the occasion was just superb.

"Those kind of nights make you even more keen to stay at the top and be involved in games against players of Raymond's quality."

Taylor has already secured his place in May's play-offs, but is determined to continue his superb unbeaten run in the Premier League.

"I can't relax because I do not want to get beaten," he added.

"I've said before that I wouldn't feel right winning the final but having lost in the league phase, so I won't be easing up one bit.

"Raymond managed to peg me back in Bournemouth, but I won't give him a second chance."

Van Barneveld will be celebrating his 39th birthday on Thursday, and is hoping to get the ideal present when he meets Taylor.

"My record against him isn't great so it would be a brilliant time to get a victory," said the Dutchman.

"We had a great game the last time we played and I know that he will have prepared well for this match.

"But I have practised hard too, and I know how well I will have to play to beat him - I need to produce 13-dart legs and better.

"If I can do that, hopefully I will get the result which puts me into the semi-finals. That is all that really matters at the moment, getting into the top four."

Taylor will open proceedings at The Dome when he faces Ronnie Baxter in the first of four best-of-14-leg matches.

World number one Colin Lloyd meets Roland Scholten in the second game, and is looking to avenge his 8-5 loss to the Dutchman in Newport a fortnight ago.

The bottom two players in the Holsten Premier League table then come head-to-head, with Wayne Mardle looking to grab his first win of the year when he tackles Peter Manley.

Following Doncaster, only two league nights remain before the top four in the table qualify for the play-offs, which will be held at the Plymouth Pavilions on Monday 29 May.

They will be staged at the Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre on Thursday 27 April and Reading's Rivermead Centre on Thursday 4 May.

Holsten Premier League Darts
Doncaster Dome
Phil Taylor v Ronnie Baxter
Colin Lloyd v Roland Scholten
Wayne Mardle v Peter Manley
Raymond van Barneveld v Phil Taylor
Live on Sky Sports 1, 7.30pm