Premier League Darts 2025: Luke Littler Confident van Gerwen Will Bounce Back After Shock O2 Miss

Luke Littler capped off a record-breaking season in fitting style on Thursday night, sealing top spot in the Premier League table with a 6-3 victory over world number one Luke Humphries in the final weekly night in Sheffield.

The 18-year-old phenom extended his own record for most nightly wins in a single season to six and smashed the points record he set last year—finishing the league phase on 45 points, five clear of the previous best he achieved in 2024.

O2 Absence for the Dutch Great

It was a night full of drama, as Stockport’s Nathan Aspinall snatched the fourth and final spot for next week’s Play-Offs at London’s O2 Arena. He did so by defeating Michael van Gerwen 6-5 in the opening round before falling to Littler in the semi-final. But the result was enough to dump the Dutchman out of the competition.

For van Gerwen, a seven-time Premier League champion, it’s a major blow. This marks just the second time he has failed to reach finals night in 13 appearances—his only other miss coming in 2020 during the COVID-affected season, when the play-offs were held behind closed doors at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.

Littler Reacts to MVG’s Shock Exit

But this is the first time the 36-year-old won’t feature in the showpiece at the O2—something that surprised even Littler.

“Yeah, obviously Michael he’s won this seven times, so he's used to the long 16 weeks and then going to the O2,” Littler told SportsBoom.com after his win.

“A few years back when I was a fan in lockdown watching the Premier League when he didn't make it, I was shocked and I'm shocked now, but Nathan deserves it.”

“He's [Aspinall] not been to the O2 yet. He's made it to finals behind closed doors, but I know Nathan's buzzing and he can't wait.”

He’s Not Done Yet

Van Gerwen’s dip in form has sparked fierce debate among pundits, with former world number one Colin Lloyd telling TalkSport the Dutchman has "run his race" at the top of the game.

Littler strongly disagrees, revealing a private conversation he had with MVG where both men acknowledged they’d only walk away from the sport when the desire to win disappears.

“Yeah, I remember we'd [Littler & van Gerwen] done some interviews for the Premier League leading up to it and me and Michael both said once the hunger goes out of us, then we'll stop playing.”

And despite his omission from the 2025 finals night, Littler has no doubt van Gerwen will respond in typical fashion.

“But the hunger's, he's definitely not out of him. We know Michael he'll bounce back,” Littler concluded.