BRADFORD'S Joe Cullen thinks he can follow up his trophy-winning performance over world number one Michael Van Gerwen with his first televised tournament victory this weekend.

The Wyke dartist enters the 2020 Unibet European Championship as the top seed after capturing his second European tour title thanks to a 8-5 win over Van Gerwen in the International Darts Open final in Riesa on Sunday.

Last September, Cullen took home his first, the European Darts Matchplay, in identical fashion.

The £25,000 prize money pushes 'The Rockstar' back into the world top 16 and books him a place in this year's BoyleSports Grand Slam Of Darts.

Cullen, who also beat the likes of Dave Chisnall and Michael Smith to capture his fourth career title, is delighted to get back to winning ways especially in front of a live crowd.

He said: "It was good. A bit different from the first one (in 2019). I didn’t feel comfortable all day but I seemed to get through pretty easy.

"When you are not playing great and you have to scrap for results. That is more satisfying than when you play amazing.

"The closest anyone came to me was in the quarters (where he beat Ross Smith 6-4). It was pretty easy going.

"It is always great to beat Michael. He is not in the greatest of form at the minute but he is still world number one so any chance to beat him puts a feather in your cap.

"It is just nice to have any fans in there. Even if it is just a couple of hundred as oppose to a couple of thousands.

"Fans there watching live sport is what we all want back as soon as possible.

"I have qualified for the Grand Slam as well which I haven’t ever been in. That is definitely one of the biggest positives for me.

"I won a European title and that wasn’t enough last year."

Cullen has had a great run since the sport resumed post lockdown. He lost narrowly to eventual winner Dimitri Van den Bergh in the last 16 at the Betfred World Matchplay, and reached the quarters in the BoyleSports World Grand Prix earlier this month.

The 31-year-old believes he can handle the pressure of being top dog in the upcoming ITV event in Oberhausen where he will face Irishman William O'Connor in the first round tomorrow.

He added: "It is one game at a time. Darts is one of those games, you are on top of the world one minute and then you soon get brought straight back to earth overnight so you can’t take anything for granted.

"It is the first time I will be number one going into a competition so it can only be a good thing.

"I struggled a bit over the lockdown maybe through lack of practice, just getting back into the swing of things. But I think I have found some form.

"The TV events is where you want to play your best stuff and hopefully I will do that.

"If I carry on my form of late, I should be ok."