Luke Littler’s swift response to relentless boos in Liverpool | Other | Sport

Luke Littler silenced the Liverpool crowd as he claimed a Premier League Darts nightly win on hostile soil. The Nuke was in formidable form as he picked up his first win in four attempts to make it three triumphs in this year’s competition to beat league leader Jonny Clayton.

The Ferret had won each of the last two outings on the competition roadshow and looked in fine form after beating Stephen Bunting and Gian van Veen. However, the 19-year-old world number one was in formidable form as Clayton became the latest casualty in Littler’s destructive trail.

Clayton survived a white-wash to win the sixth leg but it wasn’t enough to spark a memorable comeback against Littler, who cut the gap at the top. Earlier in the night, the Nuke inflicted a fresh blow on reigning champion Luke Humphries in his quest for the play-offs as he was outclassed by world number one, Littler. The Nuke followed it up with a dramatic win over Michael van Gerwen as he survived a 5-4 scoreline to turn around the semi-final and book his place in the final.

The 19-year-old conceded pre-match that he wouldn’t gift his namesake and darts foe a win following Cool-Hand’s struggles and he showed no mercy in a relentless display, despite being booed by the crowd throughout. It was a similar tale of inconsistency for Humphries, despite scoring well, his doubles severely let him down – leaving him treading dangerously close to missing the cut for the finals. The former world number one found himself trailing 4-0 to Littler before getting himself on the board.

But The Nuke – a Manchester United fan coping with the rather brutal Liverpool crowd – was too strong to see out a 6-2 drubbing of Humphries. Littler, who has emerged as a public enemy following the spat with Gian van Veen on night nine in Manchester, received another hostile welcome after an ear-splitting reception in Rotterdam – eventually losing to Jonny Clayton in the final.

The Nuke was looking to avenge his final defeat against the Welshman from seven days earlier after Clayton booked his sixth nightly win in 12 Premier League Darts events of the season after downing Bunting and Van Veen. Before the roadshow stopped in Liverpool, Stephen Bunting said that winning on his own patch would have been a dream come true, there was disappointment for hometown hero. The Bullet clawed back to take the match to a decider but he missed a match-winning dart at double 16 against the 2021 Premier League winner and current league leader Jonny Clayton.

The Ferret held his nerve to win the last-leg decider. Following the match, the Welshman, who also supports Liverpool, admitted he was nervous as he silenced the sold-out M&S Bank Arena.

Josh Rock had the crowd on their feet after six perfect darts as he looked to follow his first nine-darter at Belfast but couldn’t make it two in this year’s tournament. But it wasn’t to be for the Northern Irishman was brushed aside 6-3 by Michael van Gerwen.

In doing so, the Dutchman boosted his playoff chances as the competition heads into its business end, helped by Humphries’ latest defeat. Gerwyn Price couldn’t follow up his Euro Tour win in Germany at the weekend as he bowed out to Gian van Veen, celebrating his 24th birthday with a win, beating the Iceman 6-4.

The Iceman started off slow and was duly punished by Van Veen. The Dutchman needed to win to bolster his hopes of breaking into the top four and keep the presure on his fellow countryman.