“I won tonight and I didn’t even play well, that’s a good thing,” Van Gerwen told Sky Sports.

“Last year I said to myself I want to win so many weeks, I want a certain number of points. This year I do it different, I play week by week, no targets now. There’s been a lot of pressure on my shoulders.”

Van Gerwen’s average of 93.85 was significantly below Humphries’ 101.37, while both players struggled on finishes, taking out 30% and 29.4% respectively.

Dutchman Van Gerwen, who is looking to win the event for the third successive year, averaged 89.63 and 99.04 in his wins over Peter Wright and Rob Cross, but he was efficient on checkouts to progress.

Humphries averaged over 100 in all three of his matches and will see the night as progress after quarter-final and semi-final exits in the opening two events.

There was disappointment for Littler, who tried to go double-double against Price, but missed, opening the door for the Welshman to claim the deciding leg.

Scotland’s Wright and Nathan Aspinall are both still winless after the opening three nights, but the former’s general level was much improved in his loss to Van Gerwen although he again struggled on the doubles.

Aspinall started strongly, opening up a 3-1 lead over Humphries, before his standard dropped significantly as the match went on.

Both will be hoping to open their accounts in Newcastle on 22 February.