Luke Littler says he is firmly chasing Jonny Clayton after producing a huge comeback to claim his second nightly win of the Premier League season in Dublin. The world number one is now up to second place in the table and sits just three points behind the current leader.
The victory added fresh momentum to Littler’s campaign as he tries to finish top of the league phase for the third year in a row. After another dramatic night, that target now looks very much within reach.
Littler recovers from 5 0 down to beat Price
The most remarkable moment of the evening came in the final against Gerwyn Price. Littler looked to be heading for defeat after falling 5 0 behind, with Price appearing in full control and close to taking a second straight nightly win in Dublin.
But once Littler got his first leg on the board, the match began to shift. Price missed several chances to close it out, and Littler slowly worked his way back into contention before forcing a deciding leg. In that final moment, he held his nerve and checked out 81 on double 15 to complete an impressive turnaround.
Strong wins earlier in the night set up the final
Before the comeback against Price, Littler had already shown his quality in two other tough matches. He opened the night with a 6 3 win over Stephen Bunting, recording his first victory in Dublin.
He then faced Michael van Gerwen and came through another tight contest in a last leg decider. That result sent him into the final and gave him the chance to close the gap at the top of the standings.
Top spot is firmly in his sights again
After the win, Littler made it clear that he has no intention of settling for second place. He pointed to the fact that he has finished top of the league in each of the last two seasons and wants to repeat that feat once again.
Clayton’s strong start has kept him in front, but Littler now has him firmly in sight. With plenty of weeks still to come, the title race at the top of the table is starting to tighten.
Dublin crowd made the night even louder
Littler also spoke about the atmosphere in Dublin, where the crowd was not always on his side. Even so, he said he enjoyed the noise and energy inside the arena, describing it as one of the most intense stops on the Premier League circuit.
He admitted that he is still learning how to deal with those moments and wants to stay focused on his game rather than react to the crowd. Littler also joked that, despite the reception he received, he has no plans to switch to a green shirt any time soon.
With Berlin next up, Littler heads into the next round with confidence, a fresh win behind him and the league leader now well within reach.
