Taylor is bidding to become a 15-time world champion

Phil Taylor stayed on course for his 13th PDC World Darts title with a 4-1 third-round win over Scotland's Robert Thornton at Alexandra Palace.

Taylor will play his former protege Adrian Lewis in the quarter-finals after Lewis beat Kevin McDine 4-0.

In other matches, third seed James Wade, a semi-finalist last year, beat Dutchman Michael van Gerwen 4-2.

Wade will play Andy Hamilton in the last 16 after the Stoke thrower beat former world champion Steve Beaton.

Warwickshire's Beaton, 45, BDO world champion in 1996, went out 4-1.

Sixth seed Terry Jenkins also advanced to the third round with a comprehensive 4-0 win over Darin Young of the United States, only dropping two legs in the match.

606: DEBATE Can anyone stop Taylor this year?

Jenkins will next play Simon Whitlock after the Australian whitewashed Wolverhampton thrower Wayne Jones.

The last-eight match between Taylor, 49, and Lewis, 24, will take place on New Year's Day and has all the makings of a titanic encounter.

Between them, they hold the six highest three-dart averages in the tournament so far, with Lewis topping the charts with his 106.51 in the first round against Aodhagan O'Neill.

Lewis, the eighth seed, has never beaten Taylor in a televised match, but believes this could be his year.

"I'm not frightened any more, I've learnt how to play darts," said Lewis, who, like Taylor, is from Stoke.

"No disrespect to Rob [Thornton], but he folded before he got on stage and I won't do that against Phil.

"I know he's in for a tough match and I know it's going all the way. And if I beat Phil I should go on and win the tournament."

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