Littler Leads Premier League Darts into Manchester

Manchester, England – World number one Luke Littler returns to familiar territory on Thursday as the Premier League Darts enters its ninth night at the AO Arena, with the teenage sensation leading the standings ahead of a quarterfinal rematch against Gian van Veen.

The event features eight top players competing in a league format that runs for 16 weeks, culminating in playoffs at London's O2 Arena on May 28. Littler, the reigning world champion from nearby Warrington, holds a 21-point lead after victories in the last two nights in Dublin and Berlin. His opponent, van Veen, has won several encounters against Littler since the start of 2025 but has dropped the most recent four of five meetings. Van Veen skipped last week's doubleheader following surgery and showed signs of limitation in Berlin, where Gerwyn Price defeated him.

The quarterfinal lineup includes Michael van Gerwen facing Stephen Bunting, Price taking on Luke Humphries, and Jonny Clayton against Josh Rock. Van Gerwen, a seven-time Premier League winner, beat Bunting in their only meeting this season on opening night in Newcastle. Price and Humphries have delivered high-quality matches, with the Welshman holding a...