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Michael van Gerwen aimed savage dig at Luke Littler after stopping Premier League streak
Michael van Gerwen labelled Luke Littler ‘crap’ just weeks before the teenager lifted the Premier League Darts title. Night 11 of last year’s tournament saw the array of star names descend on Birmingham with the play-offs just a few weeks away. Van Gerwen took aim at Littler a year ago after beating himPA Reigning champion Van Gerwen was eyeing an eighth title while Littler was aiming for his first major win after bursting onto the scene at the World Championships four months earlier. The teenage sensation saw off Rob Cross before avenging his final defeat at Alexandra Palace by beating world champion Luke Humphries. The Dutchman was also purring in the second city having swept aside Nathan Aspinall and Michael Smith to set up a final showdown with Littler. The Warrington native had won the previous two nights in Manchester and Belfast and was eyeing up a record-equalling third consecutive win. But Van Gerwen proved a tough nut to crack and swept aside the youngster 6-3. Despite the defeat, Littler was able to keep hold of top spot with Van Gerwen sitting in third place. And the Dutchman pulled no punches when giving his take on the final, with Littler firmly in the firing line. Asked by Sports Boom about Littler being on the Forbes 30 under 30 list, Van Gerwen replied: “But he didn’t win anything? That’s the worst thing! “When people don’t win anything they can get into Forbes! What he’s done and created for the sports of darts is phenomenal but with all due respect he played crap tonight! “I beat him in a crap game! That’s the reality of the moment. I’m happy with that and we need to move on to the next one.” Van Gerwen emerged triumphant over Littler in BirminghamRex Littler later took to social media where his response focused solely on the loss rather than Van Gerwen’s brutal comments. “Disappointed to not get win #3 after making the final but more points and still top,” he wrote on X. “We go after it again next week in Rotterdam.” Instead, Littler saved his revenge for the Oche where he faced Van Gerwen in the play-off semi-finals. The duo went head-to -head in the best-of-19 clash for the place in the final against Humphries. And it was the teenager who prevailed at the O2 Arena in London, comfortably seeing off Van Gerwen 10-5 with a performance that the Dutchman could only praise. Littler won the Premier League on what was his debut seasonGetty Littler went on to beat Humphries 11-7 in the final to land his first major professional title. Since then, Littler has become world champion, defeating Van Gerwen himself in January. He scooped the £500,000 prize and became the youngest ever winner, aged 17. After dispatching the Dutchman, he said: “I can’t believe it. We both played so well. “I’ve said in interviews that I needed to get off to a quick start tonight and that’s what I did. “But he was behind me the whole game, those cover shots – he’d hit two trebles and I’d have to come back with two or three. “Everyone dreams of lifting this trophy. You’ve got to get through a tough field. I can’t believe it. “I keep saying it but that first game against Ryan Meikle [in round two] was the one that really mattered, and throughout I’ve just settled. “At 2-0 up [in the final set] I started getting nervous but I said to myself to just relax. I was throwing for the match and to get it over and done with then was special.”
Michael van Gerwen labelled Luke Littler ‘crap’ just weeks before the teenager lifted the Premier League Darts title.
Night 11 of last year’s tournament saw the array of star names descend on Birmingham with the play-offs just a few weeks away.
Reigning champion Van Gerwen was eyeing an eighth title while Littler was aiming for his first major win after bursting onto the scene at the World Championships four months earlier.
The teenage sensation saw off Rob Cross before avenging his final defeat at Alexandra Palace by beating world champion Luke Humphries.
The Dutchman was also purring in the second city having swept aside Nathan Aspinall and Michael Smith to set up a final showdown with Littler.
The Warrington native had won the previous two nights in Manchester and Belfast and was eyeing up a record-equalling third consecutive win.
But Van Gerwen proved a tough nut to crack and swept aside the youngster 6-3.
Despite the defeat, Littler was able to keep hold of top spot with Van Gerwen sitting in third place.
And the Dutchman pulled no punches when giving his take on the final, with Littler firmly in the firing line.
Asked by Sports Boom about Littler being on the Forbes 30 under 30 list, Van Gerwen replied: “But he didn’t win anything? That’s the worst thing!
“When people don’t win anything they can get into Forbes! What he’s done and created for the sports of darts is phenomenal but with all due respect he played crap tonight!
“I beat him in a crap game! That’s the reality of the moment. I’m happy with that and we need to move on to the next one.”
Littler later took to social media where his response focused solely on the loss rather than Van Gerwen’s brutal comments.
“Disappointed to not get win #3 after making the final but more points and still top,” he wrote on X.
“We go after it again next week in Rotterdam.”
Instead, Littler saved his revenge for the Oche where he faced Van Gerwen in the play-off semi-finals.
The duo went head-to -head in the best-of-19 clash for the place in the final against Humphries.
And it was the teenager who prevailed at the O2 Arena in London, comfortably seeing off Van Gerwen 10-5 with a performance that the Dutchman could only praise.
Littler went on to beat Humphries 11-7 in the final to land his first major professional title.
Since then, Littler has become world champion, defeating Van Gerwen himself in January.
He scooped the £500,000 prize and became the youngest ever winner, aged 17.
After dispatching the Dutchman, he said: “I can’t believe it. We both played so well.
“I’ve said in interviews that I needed to get off to a quick start tonight and that’s what I did.
“But he was behind me the whole game, those cover shots – he’d hit two trebles and I’d have to come back with two or three.
“Everyone dreams of lifting this trophy. You’ve got to get through a tough field. I can’t believe it.
“I keep saying it but that first game against Ryan Meikle [in round two] was the one that really mattered, and throughout I’ve just settled.
“At 2-0 up [in the final set] I started getting nervous but I said to myself to just relax. I was throwing for the match and to get it over and done with then was special.”
