Luke Littler Secures Convincing Win in Liverpool
Luke Littler delivered a commanding 6-0 victory over Jonny Clayton in Liverpool, moving closer to securing a Premier League play-off spot in 2024. Despite facing boos from the crowd, the 19-year-old Manchester United supporter maintained composure to claim his fourth nightly win during week 12.
Following his quarter-final win against Luke Humphries with a 6-2 scoreline, Littler faced a challenging semi-final against Michael van Gerwen but prevailed. Clayton currently leads the Premier League table, three points ahead of Littler, who holds second place and is 15 points clear of fifth-placed Gian van Veen.
With four league nights remaining, both Clayton and Littler are nearly assured of qualification for the finals night at London's O2 Arena on 28 May.
"Rotterdam was way louder than this tonight. There was a little bit [of booing] but this week was nothing compared to last week. I've just got to forget about it. I was definitely focused and wanted to win tonight, and that's what I've done," Littler reflected when comparing his receptions in Rotterdam and Liverpool.
"I'm very close to Jonny now and I'm going to go chasing. I want to finish top once again and if it's not to be then it's not to be, but there are still four weeks left to play for," he added.
Littler, who was also booed in Rotterdam following an exchange with Dutch number one Gian van Veen in Manchester three weeks earlier, demonstrated resilience to secure another five points. He quickly established a 4-0 lead over Clayton in the final by capitalizing on missed doubles from the 2021 Premier League champion.
Clayton managed to hit only one out of six double attempts, allowing Littler to secure the win without extraordinary finishes. Littler averaged just under 100 with an impressive 67% checkout rate, sufficient to claim victory in Liverpool.
Humphries Faces Play-Off Qualification Challenges
One of the surprises this season is defending champion Luke Humphries' position in seventh place, risking missing the play-offs. The world number two has struggled compared to his performance last year, with only seven match wins after week 12, whereas last year he had 21 wins and three nightly victories after 16 weeks.
Humphries had aimed for a night win to boost his chances but was hampered by poor doubles. Despite averaging 99.39, higher than Littler's, his checkout rate was only 18%, significantly lower than Littler's 46%. With four nights remaining, Humphries trails Michael van Gerwen, currently fourth, by five points.
Premier League Darts Night 12 Results
- Stephen Bunting 5-6 Jonny Clayton
- Josh Rock 3-6 Michael van Gerwen
- Luke Humphries 2-6 Luke Littler
- Gian van Veen 5-6 Jonny Clayton
- Michael van Gerwen 5-6 Luke Littler
Premier League Darts Week 13 Fixtures
Thursday, 30 April - P&J Live, Aberdeen
- Luke Humphries vs Michael van Gerwen
Premier League Darts Format and Points System
The Premier League Darts competition spans 16 initial league weeks, each featuring quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a final. Each of the eight players faces the other seven in the quarter-finals during weeks one to seven and nine to fifteen. Weeks eight and sixteen fixtures are determined by league standings, culminating in a fourth versus fifth match on the final league night, potentially deciding play-off positions.
Players earn two points for each quarter-final win, an additional point for winning the semi-final, and five points for winning the night. The top four players after the league stage qualify for the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 28 May. The semi-finals are best-of-19 legs, with the final being best-of-21 legs.
If players are tied on points after 16 weeks, rankings are decided first by nights won, then by matches won.
