Luke Littler’s commanding Premier League night in Cardiff may have provided the momentum the world No 1 needed.
The back-to-back world champion finally claimed his first nightly victory on his fifth attempt, beating local favourite Jonny Clayton 6-4 in a dramatic final. Littler began the evening with a 6-4 win over Josh Rock and finished by recapturing the heavy scoring that fuelled his rapid rise. He produced three ton-plus finishes to get past Gerwyn Price in the semi-finals, including a match-clinching 170 “Big Fish” checkout, and struck another 170 while narrowly missing a nine-darter — agonisingly missing double 15 on the final dart — in the final against Clayton.
Sky Sports analyst Wayne Mardle suggested the Cardiff success could be a catalyst, saying a win often shifts momentum. He praised Littler’s temperament, calling him a “cool customer” who stays unfazed by expectation, and noted that short barren runs have not derailed his form across other events.
While Littler rediscovered his stride, a number of rivals are still searching for form. Defending champion Luke Humphries produced a dominant 6-1 quarter-final win over Michael van Gerwen but fell to Gerwyn Price in the semis. Night Four winner Stephen Bunting bowed out in the quarters, and Josh Rock remains without a Premier League victory heading into Night Six.
Mardle also reflected on the broader picture: he expects Bunting to return to winning ways and urged players such as Rock and Humphries to start converting strong performances into results. Prolonged winless runs can be damaging, he warned, with the primary target for everyone being top positions and a place in the playoffs.
Next up is Night Six at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham. The schedule: Josh Rock v Stephen Bunting, Jonny Clayton v Michael van Gerwen, Luke Humphries v Gian van Veen, and Luke Littler opening against Gerwyn Price in a semi-final rematch. Watch Night Six live on Thursday March 12 from 7pm on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports+.