ST HELENS Premier League darters Stephen Bunting and Dave Chisnall kick off an amazing weekend of sport when they take on Phil Taylor and James Wade in Liverpool on Thursday night.

The pair take to the stage in Merseyside in front of over 7,000 fans at the Echo Arena.

Former Lakeside Champion Bunting will meet 16-time World Champion Taylor on Thursday, as the local star enjoys one of the biggest nights of his career.

"When the fixtures were announced, playing in Liverpool against Phil Taylor jumped out at me," admitted the 29-year-old, who defeated the Stoke great in last October's European Championship.

"The crowd is going to be buzzing, I'll have family and friends there and I can't wait to get up there against the best player who's ever walked on this planet.

"I'll try my best and it would be incredible to beat him. You know that Phil's a fighter and he's one of the best players in the world, if not the best, and I've just got to make sure that I produce my best on the night to get the victory.

"I know that I've got the game to beat any player, and it's about taking that onto stage. It's going to be a wonderful night."

Taylor picked up his first win of the season in Bournemouth last week as he overpowered Adrian Lewis with a 108 average, and admits that he has been impressed by Bunting's emergence.

"I've been impressed with Stephen for the three or four years that I've known the lad," he said. "He's a lovely lad, he gets on with everyone and he gets on that practice board - you don't know that he's in the room, he's like the quiet assassin!

"He's like a ninja, because he's in the background but he can play - obviously he's been a World Champion and you've got to be on your game against him, but I'm going to give it my best shot.

"It's an exciting prospect and it will be a tough game but a good game."

Chisnall, meanwhile, is aiming to maintain his perfect start to the season - having defeated Peter Wright and Raymond van Barneveld - when he faces left-hander Wade.

"You have to have a good start and four points so far is a good start for me," said Chisnall. "I ground out the win last week and you've got to do that sometimes, and it should be a good game against James.

"James is playing very well at the moment but I've just got to take my recent game up there and hopefully I can do the business."

Wade is also unbeaten, after picking up a draw and a win from his opening two games, and the 2009 Premier League winner believes that his all-round game is making him more dangerous than ever.

"I'm really happy with my start," said Wade. "I'm playing well, finishing okay and I think for the first time in my career I'm scoring better than I am finishing.

"If my finishing comes along with the scoring I've developed and found, I think I'm quite a force.

"I feel confident playing Dave - but he'll say and feel the same way. I'm positive and I look forward to it."