Luke Littler is on the hunt for more history as he aims to become the first player to claim five night wins in a single Premier League season since the new format was introduced in 2022. He starts his race against the weakening Peter Wright.
On the 15th evening of the dart roadshow, the quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final will be played live in a best-of-eleven match Sky Sportswith ranking points awarded each night to form the rankings from which the top four players advance to the play-offs.
World champion Luke Humphries is already confident of his play-off qualification, as is league leader Littler, who remains unfazed by the competition and says he has already achieved what he set out to do.
“This is what I dreamed of when I was growing up and watching the Premier League every Thursday,” said Littler, who needs three points from the final two league nights to secure top spot.
“My goal when I came to the Premier League was to get into the play-offs. The fact that I managed to do that with two weeks to go is a great achievement.”
“I’m really happy with the way my darts are going. In the first few weeks.” [of the Premier League] I was fourth or fifth, but I’ve been at the top for a few weeks now and I hope I can stay there.
“I know the record for the next two weeks [for nightly wins] It’s broken there, but whatever happens, I’ll still go to the O2.
Littler has an eight-point lead at the top after wins in Belfast, Manchester, Liverpool and Aberdeen in the last six weeks.
Four men will battle it out for the final two spots at London’s O2 Arena on Thursday May 23 – Nathan Aspinall, defending champion Michael van Gerwen, Michael Smith and Rob Cross.
Gerywn Price and Peter Wright are no longer in a position to crack the top four as Price’s exit was confirmed after he was forced to pull out of Night 14 with a back problem.
Meanwhile, Humphries will be hoping for a special homecoming when the Premier League side visits Leeds on Thursday.
“My mindset hasn’t changed. I still want to go out and win,” said Humphries, who will debut a new walk-on song Thursday.
“Winning at Leeds would be right up there in terms of my best performances but I know I’m further along so I can go out and play with a bit of freedom.”
“Leeds is an important part of my life. I love coming to Elland Road to watch the team and there are a lot of Leeds staff coming out to support me, which is great.”
“Demonstration of the [World Championship] Winning the trophy at Elland Road was one of the greatest moments of my life. The fans have received me incredibly well and that is something that will stay with me forever.
“Hopefully it will be the same tomorrow, but it will test my personality – how can I take out the emotions and deliver a good performance?”
“The driving factor for me will be my new walk-on song and the audience’s reception. Once I understand that, I will fully concentrate on winning because I want to experience that reaction from the crowd three times tomorrow night.”
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Check out the best action from Week 14 of Premier League Darts from Aberdeen
Only two weeks of the regular season remain, both taking place in Yorkshire, firstly in Leeds on Thursday 9th May then in Sheffield on Thursday 16th May.
Wright will play Littler in the quarter-finals in the next two weeks – they are guaranteed to be eighth and top respectively on the 16th night – so he could also end the teenager’s top-place hopes.
Aspinall and Smith will meet in a clash that could have significant implications for the play-off race.
Smith moved to within three points of Aspinall after a semi-final appearance in Aberdeen after the Stockport star lost to Littler in the quarter-finals.
However, Aspinall has won both meetings with Smith in this year’s Premier League, including a 6-4 victory over the 2023 world champions in the Night 12 final in Rotterdam.
Aspinall also got the better of Smith in the decider on the fourth night, but the St Helens star travels to Leeds after ending his 11-month wait for a PDC title at the Players Championship 9 on Monday.
“It’s in my own hands now, I finally got my name back in the winner’s circle in Germany and I was over the moon because it was tough,” Smith said.
“I’m only two points behind Michael [van Gerwen] and three behind Nathan [Aspinall], And I feel good. There are some signs that I’m getting back into shape.
“I have Nathan this week and possibly Michael or Nathan next week, so it’s in my own hands. If I can win my first match and make the finals both nights, it’s up to them.”
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