WARRINGTON’S Luke Littler produced a stunning fightback from 5-0 down as he celebrated his second nightly win of the Premier League season in Dublin last night, and now the 2024 champion has vowed to chase down league leader Jonny Clayton.
Littler produced the remarkable comeback to beat Gerwyn Price in a last-leg decider and win night seven of the Premier League in Dublin.
The world No 1 had coasted past Stephen Bunting 6-3 in Thursday’s opening match at the 3Arena to record a first win in Dublin.
He then had to dig in to fight back and battle past Michael van Gerwen in a last-leg decider.
In the final, it looked like Price was set for a second successive victory in Dublin after the Welshman roared into a 5-0 lead.
However, after Littler finally got a leg on the board, turning to gesture jokingly in celebration to the crowd, the momentum swung as Price crumbled.
Five-match darts came and went as Littler continued to eat into the deficit before setting up a final-leg shootout, which the world champion clinched when taking out 81 on double 15.
“I played very well against Stephen and got the two points,” said Littler, who moves up to second in the table on 16 points, three behind Clayton, with Price sitting third.
“Then it was another brilliant game with Michael. The final? Nothing to say.
“I am just closing that gap on Jonny. Obviously I have finished top the last two years and I want to do it again.
“Jonny and the start he has had, it is good to see I am in second, but I am right behind him now and chasing.”
Littler drew the ire of the Dublin crowd, but he was hugely impressed with the atmosphere at the 3 Arena.
The back-to-back world champion, though, won’t be changing his shirt to a green one anytime soon.
“It is incredible and as the Premier League goes on you can forget what the crowds are like,” he said.
“Obviously, Dublin is very loud and not one to come to if you are not wanting to win and the crowd aren’t wanting you to win.
“I experienced that tonight, but I am still learning to not give it to the crowd and just do my job.
“Even from the first game they were chanting ‘Bunting’, but they will boo you then as soon as the song kicks in they will start cheering you on.
“I build on it, don’t give the crowd a reaction. It is nothing against Stephen (Bunting), I just wanted to get the job done.
“It is what it is, people want to see new winners, but I have won again.
“I think last year Nathan Aspinall and Rob Cross had the green shirts and stuck with the red for Manchester. It might be a bit different from me to change the shirt. If they like me next year then maybe in 2028 I might change.”
