“LUKE LITTLER can be the richest-ever Premier League winner – if he can get past bogeyman Gerwyn Price. The teen sensation will pocket a whopping £335,000 if he defends his title at the O2 next Thursday. 3 Luke Littler triumphed in Sheffield last night Credit: Shutterstock Editorial He could land the £275k jackpot in London”, — write: www.thesun.co.uk
The teen sensation will pocket a whopping £335,000 if he defends his title at the O2 next Thursday.
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Luke Littler triumphed in Sheffield last nightCredit: Shutterstock EditorialHe could land the £275k jackpot in London to add to £60k from a record SIX nightly wins during the season, surpassing his own record by £20k from last year. He also won gold darts worth £30k after hitting a nine-darter.
Littler, 18, defied a cold to beat biggest rival Luke Humphries in Sheffield and then sent out an early warning to Price for making an error for landing him in the semis.
The Nuke also slammed Manchester United for being a “shambles” in the Europa League final.
World champ Littler has lost six of his last eight meetings with Price but said: “Gezzy was 5-1 up against Chris Dobey, if he won that game he would have been third.
“Is that a mistake? Certainly, I am ready for next week. He has the record against me, but it is the O2.
“It’s a long 16 weeks, but when you’re in the position I’ve been in, No.1 for pretty much throughout the whole Premier League you have just got to stay there.
“That first semi-final is so crucial to get over the line and get to the final. Hopefully I can pick up the big one next week.
“I am very happy to break the records I have broken this year. But for myself, winning in Sheffield is a massive boost and a massive bonus and it gives me a lot of confidence going forward next week.”
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Littler defeated rival Luke Humphries last nightCredit: Alamy
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The Nuke had his say on Gerwyn PriceCredit: GettyLittler lamented his beloved team’s performance.
He admitted: “Shambles. Even losing that game everyone knows financially what it has done to us. But fair play to Spurs. What did they have, three shots in the first half? That’s all they had, sat behind the ball. They did a great job.
“I just watched it in a bar near here. There were a few United and Spurs fans. Shame we didn’t get the result we wanted.
“The board have said they are going to stick with (Ruben) Amorim. I do think next season it’s going to help us obviously not playing midweek.
“I think Premier League teams this season, if they are not in Europe, have a week off so everyone can get fit and 100 per cent. It might help us.”
Michael van Gerwen failed to qualify for the play-offs at the for just the second time in 13 years.
The seven-time Premier League winner’s form has been concerning as he recorded the seventh lowest average in the competition (96.09) and the worst of his career.
But Littler backs MVG to bounce back, adding: “I remember we did some interviews for the Premier League leading up to it, and me and Michael both said once the hunger goes out of us, then we’ll stop playing.
“But the hunger it’s definitely not out of him. We know Michael, he’ll bounce back.”
Night 2 – Glasgow: Littler beat Humphries 6-5
Night 3 – Dublin: Price beat Aspinall 6-3
Night 4 – Exeter: Humphries beat Littler 6-4
Night 5 – Brighton: Littler beat Aspinall 6-3
Night 6 – Nottingham: Price beat Littler 6-3
Night 7 – Cardiff: Littler beat Van Gerwen 6-4
Night 8 – Newcastle: Littler beat Humphries 6-1
Night 9 – Berlin: Bunting beat Price 6-5
Night 10 – Manchester: Aspinall beat Humphries 6-4
Night 11 – Rotterdam: Dobey beat Bunting 6-2
Night 12 – Liverpool: Price beat Humphries 6-4
Night 13 – Birmingham: Littler beat Van Gerwen 6-4
Night 14 – Leeds: Humphries beat Littler 6-5
Night 15 – Aberdeen: Aspinall beat Dobey 6-1
Night 16 – Utilita Arena, Sheffield – Thursday May 22
Play-Offs – The O2, London – Thursday May 29