Littler booed in Liverpool and surrenders 4-0 lead

An emotional Luke Littler was beaten by Michael van Gerwen despite leading 4-0 in the quarter-finals on night 12 of Premier League Darts in Liverpool.

The teenager posted on social media on Wednesday to say "bring on the boos Liverpool" because of his support for Manchester United - and he got the reception he expected.

However he brushed that off and raced into a 4-0 lead against seven-time Premier League winner Van Gerwen and averaged more than 20 points higher per visit than the Dutchman.

The 18-year-old missed a dart at bullseye for 5-0 and that allowed Van Gerwen to reduce the deficit to 4-3.

Littler took out a stunning 160 to move a leg away and nodded to the crowd before gesturing to them to calm down.

He missed match darts at tops and double 10 in leg nine and Van Gerwen was able to win that and the subsequent two legs to win 6-5.

Littler was visibly emotional as he left the stage but he will stay top of the eight-player table regardless of who wins in Liverpool and remains on track to qualify for the end-of-season play-offs on 29 May.

Final

Luke Humphries/Michael van Gerwen v Rob Cross/Gerwyn Price/Chris Dobey

Semi-finals

Luke Humphries v Michael van Gerwen

Rob Cross v Gerwyn Price/Chris Dobey

Quarter-finals

Luke Humphries 6-3 Nathan Aspinall

Michael van Gerwen 6-5 Luke Littler

Rob Cross 6-1 Stephen Bunting

Gerwyn Price v Chris Dobey

Premier League Darts is played across 16 initial weeks in the league stage with quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final each night.

Each of the eight players is guaranteed to face the other seven in the quarter-finals in weeks one to seven and 9-15, with week eight and week 16 fixtures done off the table. It means we will get fourth v fifth in Sheffield on the final league-stage night, with the play-off spots potentially on the line.

Players earn two points per quarter-final win, an additional point if they win their semi-final and five for winning the night.

The top four players after the group stage progress to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with first facing fourth and second against third in a best-of-19-leg match. The final, which is the best of 21 legs, follows.

If players are level on points after the 16 weeks then places are decided by nights won and then matches won.

Thursday, 1 May - Birmingham