2020 Dafabet Masters – Shaun Murphy vs Joe Perry Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
Where is Shaun Murphy vs Joe Perry taking place? Alexandra Palace, London
When is Shaun Murphy vs Joe Perry taking place and what time does it start? Thursday 16th January, 2020 – 13:00 (UK)
What channel is Shaun Murphy vs Joe Perry on? BBC Two
Where can I stream Shaun Murphy vs Joe Perry? BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website
Where can I get tickets for Shaun Murphy vs Joe Perry? Tickets for the 2020 Dafabet Masters can be purchased here
THE LOWDOWN
SHAUN MURPHY
- Shaun Murphy shocked pre-tournament favourite Judd Trump as he won three consecutive frames to seal the victory and that has now made this a wide-open competition.
- Despite being outscored by three centuries to none, Murphy did well to come out on top in the grittier frames and that will stand him in good stead for the rest of the tournament.
- Murphy has not come up against Joe Perry since the 2016 China Championship but came out on top of that match and he has also won six of their last eight clashes.
JOE PERRY
- Joe Perry won three frames in row to overcome Ding Junhui 6-3 in their first round clash at the Masters as he progressed to the quarter-finals for just the third time in 10 attempts.
- Perry will now have eyes on another victory here as he bids to move a step closer to making the final, something he achieved on his last appearance in this event in 2017.
- There is not a great deal to separate Perry and Shaun Murphy in terms of their head-to-head record but Perry is at a slight disadvantage having won five of their 14 meetings with one also ending in a draw.
THE PREDICTION
Shaun Murphy and Joe Perry upset the odds to defeat more fancied opponents and will now go head-to-head for a spot in the semi-finals of the Masters. There is little to split the two and the match could go either way but Perry has scored more centuries than Murphy so far this season and he should notch the highest break of the game, even in defeat.
