Over 9.5 Total Legs in Jonny Clayton v Gian van Veen

Johnny Clayton has just been exceptional in this campaign. I didn’t think he’d get in the top four - I don’t know why I doubted him, because he always seems to get there. He loves this format, he adores the Premier League, and he manages his time very well. But he is up against someone who is improving again in Gian van Veen, even though he’s had a bit of a topsy-turvy time.

Now, if you look at their head-to-head, they’ve played each other eight times and it’s 5-3 to Johnny. But what really stands out to me is that six of those eight matches have gone over 9.5 legs. So you’re usually looking at 6–4 or 6–5 scorelines; tight games where neither player runs away with it. Based on that, I’m focusing on over 9.5 legs, because history suggests they tend to push each other all the way.

Luke Littler to Win v Josh Rock

Now, Luke Littler… we’ve had a bit of a frustrating relationship lately because he’s let me down a couple of times in this campaign. He’s beginning to make me look a bit stupid! But I’m going to persevere with him because I still feel like he wants not only to qualify for London at the O2, but to actually top the table. He’s chasing Johnny Clayton, and the ability is clearly there.

When you look at his record against Josh Rock, it’s a big factor: eight meetings, and Littler leads it 7–1. That’s a seriously strong head-to-head, and it shows he knows how to handle this matchup. Rock is a fantastic player, no doubt about it, but Littler has had the edge every time they’ve played. So despite the recent bumps, I’m backing Luke Littler to win here and get the job done.

That’s the double: a match that usually goes the distance in Clayton vs Van Veen, and trusting Littler’s dominance in the head-to-head to come through against Rock.