Luke Littler is targeting his fourth nightly victory in the space of five weeks on Thursday, as the 2026 BetMGM Premier League darts continues in Manchester.
Littler will take centre stage on Night Nine at the AO Arena, as the Warrington wonderkid bids to deliver the goods on home soil.
Following a sluggish start to the season, Luke has exploded into life over recent weeks, claiming nightly wins in Cardiff, Dublin and Berlin to surge to the top of the Premier League table.
The world number one is aiming to secure top spot for a third consecutive campaign, and he returns to Manchester with a two-point lead over his closest challenger Jonny Clayton.
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“I’m feeling very good, better than the first few weeks,” quipped Littler, who averaged 105, 108 and 106 to triumph in Berlin last Thursday.
“Obviously I won in Cardiff and Dublin, but Berlin was definitely the best I’ve played over a night.
“It’s been a very interesting Premier League. Jonny [Clayton] looked like he was running away with it a few weeks ago.
“Now I’m at the top I want to stay there, and they can all try and catch me!”
Littler will renew his rivalry with Gian van Veen in the quarter-finals, in a repeat of January’s World Championship showpiece at Alexandra Palace.
Van Veen won the pair’s solitary Premier League meeting on Night One in Newcastle, with the Dutchman advancing to three of the opening four nightly finals on debut.
However, the European Champion has since slipped to sixth position, undergoing kidney stones surgery a fortnight ago before returning to action in Berlin last Thursday.
Van Veen is four points adrift of fourth spot – currently occupied by his compatriot Michael van Gerwen – who was edged out by Littler in a captivating Night Eight final.
The seven-time Premier League champion defeated Luke Humphries and Josh Rock in the German capital, before losing out to an inspired Littler, despite averaging north of 103.
“I think I could have a few more points, but that’s how the Premier League is,” reflected Van Gerwen, who has featured in a hat-trick of nightly finals this season.
“The feeling of winning is amazing, and the feeling of losing is always tough.
“I am always critical of myself, but to beat Luke Humphries in a direct contest last week gave me a lot of joy and a good feeling.
“I feel there’s more in the tank, and now I need to show it!”
Van Gerwen will kick off Thursday’s action against Night Four winner Stephen Bunting, who has averaged 104 and 107 in his last two matches – only to succumb to Littler on both occasions.
FULL DETAILS WITH DARTSDATABASE: FROM LIVE SCORES TO GRANULAR HISTORIC DATA
Elsewhere, reigning Premier League champion Humphries takes on third-place Price, with the Welshman boasting a three-point cushion over the world number two.
Humphries is without a nightly win at the halfway mark, although his tournament average of 100.47 is only bettered by current leader Littler.
The evening’s other quarter-final clash will pit 2021 champion Clayton against Northern Ireland’s Rock, in a repeat of their last eight showdown in Berlin.
Rock ran out a 6-3 winner at the Uber Arena to seal his first win on the Premier League stage, ending his seven-match losing run in the process.
Clayton, meanwhile, is looking to return to winning ways having suffered back-to-back quarter-final exits, but the Welsh number one still finds himself eight points clear of Humphries in fifth spot.
Ranking points are awarded per night – with five to the winner, three to the runner-up and two to the semi-finalists – to form the league table from which the top four players will progress to Finals Night at The O2 in London on Thursday May 28.
FULL DETAILS WITH DARTSDATABASE: FROM LIVE SCORES TO GRANULAR HISTORIC DATA
2026 BetMGM Premier League Darts (Night 9)
AO Arena, Manchester
Thursday April 2
Quarter-Finals
Michael van Gerwen v Stephen BuntingGerwyn Price v Luke HumphriesGian van Veen v Luke LittlerJonny Clayton v Josh Rock
Semi-Finals
Van Gerwen/Bunting v Price/Humphries
Van Veen/Littler v Clayton/Rock
Final
v
All matches best of 11 legs
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC
