Luke Littler picks up third nightly win | Premier League Darts Night Eight – Berlin 

The Nuke picked up back-to-back wins and leapfrogged Jonny Clayton at the top of the Premier League table at Berlin on Thursday.  

The world #1 beat Stephen Bunting, Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen to clinch top spot for the first time this season. 

Match 1: Jonny Clayton vs Josh Rock 

The Ferret suffered back-to-back quarter final defeats after going unbeaten in the opening tie in the first six nights.

Rocky finally picked up his first points of his Premier League campaign.  

Rock, despite getting over the line, still had major problems on the doubles missing eight darts at the outer ring.

The world #7 pinned double 16 to attempt to kick-start his Premier League play-off hopes.  

Result: Clayton (89.36) 3-6 (89.22) Rock 

Match 2: Luke Humphries (96.07) vs (99.04) Michael van Gerwen 

Van Gerwen overcame Humphries in a repeat of the Belgium Open semi-final at the weekend.

The world #4 got revenge for his defeat in Belgium and checked out a 142 on the way.  

The pair both held in the opening two legs before then breaking each other in the next two.

Then, Mighty Mike began to take advantage and won four of the next five legs to book his spot in the semi-finals. 

Result: Humphries 3-6 van Gerwen 

Match 3: Luke Littler vs Stephen Bunting 

Despite the Bullet averaging 107 and popping a 167 checkout in leg five, the Nuke extended his winning run over Bunting to four in the last four.  

Littler won the game on his beloved double ten to put an end to any chance of a Bunting comeback.

The Nuke averaged over a ton himself with 105, which would go on to be his first of three 100+ averages on the night.

 Result: Littler (105.72) 6-3 (107.47) Bunting 

Match 4: Gerwyn Price vs Gian van Veen 

Price roared into a 5-0 lead against a very below-par van Veen.

The Dutchman returned to action after pulling out of last week’s event in Dublin due to medical reasons.  

The world #3 did manage to grab a leg though with Price unable to complete another whitewash win after dismantling Rock last week.

Price popped 130 in leg three with the bullseye.  

Result: Price (101.56) 6-1 (91.50) van Veen 

Semi-final 1: Josh Rock vs Michael van Gerwen  

Van Gerwen saw off Rock in the first semi-final, with the Northern Ireland star once again having problems on the outer ring.

The pair both missed 13 darts at double, but Rocky was the one eventually punished.  

The world #4 took out double 2 for the match and reached his third final of the season.

Rock faces Clayton again next week in Manchester.  

Result: Rock (90.14) 3-6 (96.42) van Gerwen 

Semi-final 2: Luke Littler vs Gerwyn Price 

Littler’s winning run over Price continued.

After eight legs, the pair were level at four-all and had held throw throughout.

The Iceman scraped back in leg seven with a 152 checkout, when he looked out of the leg.  

However, the Nuke then reeled off the next three legs for the match to set up a tasty final with van Gerwen.

Littler averaged almost 109 and despite the relentless effort from the Welshman, the World Champ once again got over the line.  

Result: Littler (108.58) 6-4 (98.17) Price 

Final: Michael van Gerwen vs Luke Littler 

The Nuke capped off the evening with an outstanding clash with the Green Machine.

Littler marched into a 3-0 lead taking out 126 for leg three.

Van Gerwen fired back and within minutes, the game was level again with the Dutchman popping a 124 finish in leg five.

In leg eight, Littler took out the Big Fish, before reeling it in again just two legs later to cap off a fantastic night in Germany.

The Nuke pinned both trebles before firing in the bull for another five points to his name.  

Result: van Gerwen (103.87) 4-6 (106.36) Littler 

The world #1 heads home to Manchester next week, where he faces a repeat of the World Championship final with Gian van Veen.