Phil Taylor has been knocked out of the PDC World Darts Championship, losing 5-3 to old rival Raymond van Barneveld in the quarter-finals at Alexandra Palace.
The 16-time world champion fought back from 3-1 down to 3-3 but the Dutchman stepped up at the crucial moments.
Van Barneveld faces compatriot Michael van Gerwen in the last four after the top seed beat Daryl Gurney 5-1.
Taylor and Van Barneveld have shared some classic encounters down the years but both players were inconsistent in their fourth meeting at the World Championship.
At 1-1 in sets, England’s Taylor, 56, led 2-0 in legs but Van Barneveld then won three legs in a row to take a 2-1 lead.
Taylor led 2-1 in the fourth set but checkouts of 167 and 120 gave the Dutchman a 3-1 advantage.
Five legs in a row helped Taylor level at 3-3 but Van Barneveld composed himself and whitewashed Taylor in the seventh set to go 4-3 up.
In the deciding leg of the eighth set Taylor had the darts but a 180 and 140 allowed Van Barneveld to close out the match wsith a bullseye as the Englishman faltered.
