Latest news with #PremierLeaguePlay-Offs
Daily Mirror
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Gerwyn Price showed true colours with Luke Littler comments before teen's quip
Gerwyn Price and Luke Littler will go head-to-head in the Premier League Play-Off semi-finals on Thursday night, with the pair sharing a respectful rivalry in the world of darts Gerwyn Price has previously praised Luke Littler for doing "wonders for the sport", but as they prepare to battle in Thursday's Premier League Play-Offs, all pleasantries are on hold. Since bursting onto the scene at Ally Pally in 2023, The Nuke has been tearing through the PDC, becoming world champion in January. Despite his success, Welshman Price often comes out on top against the 18-year-old, holding a 7-6 lead in their head-to-head record. However, Littler has recently snapped a six-match losing streak to Price, winning their last two encounters. Ahead of their face-off at the O2 Arena, Price expressed confidence in his mental game and believes that he will come out on top in London. "I'm thinking I'm going to win," he told talkSPORT. "Obviously, I'm playing really well. I've got a good record over young Luke, and he'll be thinking about it more than I will. "I don't really care who I play. The only thing leading up to it is how I'm going to play, and I can usually tell three hours before the game when I'm practising whether I'm on it or not." Despite being the younger contender, Littler isn't shy about psychological warfare either, having taunted Price before their imminent clash. The current Premier League champ topped the leaderboard and bagged his sixth season win by defeating Luke Humphries 6-3 in Sheffield's final last week, reports the Express. Price began the evening in third but was overtaken by Aspinall, who triumphed 6-2 over Michael van Gerwen and then fell 6-4 to Littler. The Iceman's early exit to Chris Dobey means he must now defeat the world No. 2 in London for a chance at his first Premier League title. After the match, Littler cheekily suggested Price made a tactical blunder: "Gezzy tonight, if he won, he would have jumped to third," he remarked during his press conference. "Is that a mistake? Because I'm certainly ready for next week." Despite their competitive banter, it's evident there's mutual admiration between these darts titans. In March, after besting Littler on Night Six of the Premier League in Nottingham, Price praised the young star on Sky Sports. "I wanted to get another win over Luke just to keep on top," he admitted. "He's one of the best in the world and he's going to be for the next few years. He's going to get better and better. "Only the younger generations can stop him, we can't stop him. Luke has been phenomenal for darts. We all need to start winning now because in a few years, he'll be untouchable." Ahead of their quarter-final clash in Manchester in April, Littler also shared his thoughts on facing Price, saying: "I wouldn't say I'm motivated to beat him, obviously I want to try and beat him, but I won't go on stage saying to myself: 'You need to win this, you need to win this.' "I'll just go up on stage with the same mindset of winning that first game and getting two points on the board. I know he's obviously got the record and he knows how to beat me but hopefully I can try and get that win over him." Littler, the current favourite to claim the title, will be looking to continue his form. Meanwhile, the second semi-final at the O2 will see Humphries take on Nathan Aspinall.
Metro
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Metro
Premier League Darts Final 2025: Prize money, start time, format and schedule
Premier League Darts 2025 reaches its climax on Thursday night as just four players remain ahead of the Play-Offs at The O2 in London. Luke Littler comes in as the defending champion as he looks to retain the title he won on debut last year. The Nuke beat Luke Humphries in the showpiece 12 months ago and Cool Hand is back for another shot at the prestigious non-ranking title this time round. Gerwyn Price gets a shot at Littler in the semi-finals, with Nathan Aspinall taking on Humphries and the winners going on to meet in the final. Littler is the only one of the four men to have won the tournament before, although the other three have all been to a final. The Play-Offs night is the finale to an epic event which began on February 6 in Belfast and took in 16 weeks of action in the league phase. Michael van Gerwen, Chris Dobey, Rob Cross and Stephen Bunting have all now fallen by the wayside and the final four will battle it out for the mammoth top prize in London. Coverage of the Premier League Play-Offs begins at 7pm on Thursday May 29 on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports+. Semi-finals (Best of 19 legs)Luke Littler vs Gerwyn Price Luke Humphries vs Nathan Aspinall Final (Best of 21 legs) Winner: £275,000Runner-up: £125,000Semi-finalists: £85,0005th place – Michael van Gerwen: £75,0006th place – Chris Dobey: £70,0007th place – Rob Cross: £65,000 8th place – Stephen Bunting: £60,000 Weekly Winner Bonus – £10,000 Week 1: Luke HumphriesWeek 2: Luke LittlerWeek 3: Gerwyn PriceWeek 4: Luke HumphriesWeek 5: Luke LittlerWeek 6: Gerwyn PriceWeek 7: Luke LittlerWeek 8: Luke LittlerWeek 9: Stephen BuntingWeek 10: Nathan AspinallWeek 11: Chris DobeyWeek 12: Gerwyn PriceWeek 13: Luke LittlerWeek 14: Luke HumphriesWeek 15: Nathan Aspinall Week 16: Luke Littler Luke Littler 5/6 Luke Humphries 2/1 More Trending Gerwyn Price 11/2 Nathan Aspinall 9/1 Odds courtesy of Betfair 2024: Luke Littler2023: Michael van Gerwen2022: Michael van Gerwen2021: Jonny Clayton2020: Glen Durrant2019: Michael van Gerwen2018: Michael van Gerwen2017: Michael van Gerwen2016: Michael van Gerwen2015: Gary Anderson2014: Raymond van Barneveld2013: Michael van Gerwen2012: Phil Taylor2011: Gary Anderson2010: Phil Taylor2009: James Wade2008: Phil Taylor2007: Phil Taylor2006: Phil Taylor 2005: Phil Taylor MORE: Phil Taylor sends message to fans as he officially retires from all darts MORE: Gerwyn Price is dreaming of a Premier League Darts and Greyhound Derby double success
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Is that a mistake?' Luke Littler asks ahead of crunch clash with Gerwyn Price
LUKE 'The Nuke' Littler has laid down the gauntlet to Gerwyn Price ahead of their mouthwatering semi-final clash in the Premier League Play-Offs at the O2 Arena in London. Reigning champion Littler booked his place as the number one seed in the showpiece deciding night earlier this month, but it was only after Thursday's final round of the league phase in Sheffield that the teenage sensation learned who would be in his way to reach the final. The manner in which Price surrendered third spot to Nathan Aspinall by giving up a 5-1 lead against Chris Dobey in his quarter-final means Price will play Warrington's world champion Littler after he had looked primed to face second-placed Luke Humphries. Littler finished off a record-breaking league campaign in style as he claimed a sixth nightly victory in Sheffield to finish on 45 points – a new high in this format of the competition. Although the 18-year-old's record is not great against Price he is certainly confident in his form going into the conclusion of 16 weeks of league action that he mostly led from top spot in the table. 'Gezzy was 5-1 up, if he won that game he would have been third,' Littler said. 'Is that a mistake? Certainly I am ready for next week. He has the record against me, but it is the O2 and I'm looking forward to it. '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.' More: I went to watch Luke Littler at the darts and this is what it was like More: What a night as Luke Littler heads to Premier League Play-Offs in top form If Littler does beat Price, he would meet either Humphries or Aspinall in the final as he looks to defend the title he won last year. Price has a 7-6 win record against Littler, including six wins in a row, and he looked to have the measure of the Warringtonian over a 12-month period. But 'The Nuke' has come out on top in their past two meetings, both in Premier League nightly rounds. Littler won 6-3 in their quarter-final in Manchester on April 10 and by the same scoreline in their semi-final in Leeds on May 8.
The Independent
10-04-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Bizarre injury that forced Michael van Gerwen to miss Premier League Darts event revealed
The bizarre injury that forced Michael van Gerwen to miss the most recent night of Premier League Darts action has now been revealed. Three-time world champion Van Gerwen was due to face Gerwyn Price in his quarter-final on night nine in Berlin last Thursday but pulled out just minutes before the match got underway, with the Welshman given a bye straight to the semi-finals. Remarkably, Stephen Bunting was ultimately victorious on the night, despite not having won a single match in the previous eight events, while Luke Littler is still in control at the top of the overall table. And it has now come to light that Van Gerwen suffered a neck injury ahead of the event, which occurred in freak circumstances – namely when he was putting on a shirt. "Michael hurt himself in the afternoon, it was really unfortunate," veteran darts player Vincent van der Voort, who is Van Gerwen's friend, told the Darts Draait Door podcast. "He was trying on some shirts for his sponsor, and as soon as he put one on, he said something didn't feel right. He could barely move his neck. 'He went to a physiotherapist, had a massage, even took muscle relaxants. He gave it a go, but it just wasn't happening. We ended up going back to the hotel, packed up, and drove home. I was back home by 2am." The injury went on to rule Van Gerwen out of the International Darts Open in Riesa and also dented his prospects of reaching the Premier League Play-Offs as he chases an all-important top-four spot. The Dutchman is currently third in the table, just a point ahead of those chasing him, but he is fit to compete at night 10 in Manchester this evening, where he will hope to regain momentum. He faces Chris Dobey in the quarter-finals, while local favourite Littler starts his quest for a fifth nightly win.
