The Ice Man Gerwyn Price Is Taunted By Luke "The Nuke" Littler

Gerwyn Price has been told his time is up as chief tormentor of world champion Luke Littler.

The gauntlet has been thrown down by Littler ahead of their high-stakes Premier League Play-off semi-final at London’s O2 Arena.

The teenage king of darts suggested Welshman Price made a costly mis-step by slipping to fourth in the Premier League table.

Littler, just 18, capped a dominant and record-breaking league campaign by securing his sixth nightly win in Sheffield on Thursday, finishing the regular season with an unprecedented 45 points. 

That top finish set up a mouthwatering last-four clash with the man who seems to have Littler’s number at present, Price.

The man from Markham has six recent straight victories over Littler, but had been poised to face Luke Humphries—until a dramatic collapse.

Price surrendered a commanding 5-1 lead against Chris Dobey in his quarter-final match in Sheffield, allowing Nathan Aspinall to leapfrog him into third place. 

That result has instead placed the Ice Man face-to-face with the reigning world champion and Premier League table-topper.
“Gezzy was 5-1 up, if he won that game he would have been third,” Littler said. 

“Is that a mistake? Certainly I am ready for next week. He has the record against me, but it is the O2.”

Price does hold a 7-6 head-to-head edge over Littler, including a dominant run of six straight victories. 

However, Littler—nicknamed The Nuke—has claimed the last two in emphatic fashion, winning 6-3 in both Manchester and Leeds during the nightly rounds of the competition.

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“It’s a long 16 weeks, but when you’re in the position I’ve been in, number one for pretty much throughout the whole Premier League you have just got to stay there,” Littler said.

“That first semi-final is so crucial to get over the line and get to the final. Hopefully I can pick up the big one next week.”

Littler’s confidence is understandable given his outstanding form and the momentum he carries into the showdown. 

“I am very happy to break the records I have broken this year. But for myself, winning in Sheffield is a massive boost and a massive bonus and it gives me a lot of confidence going forward next week.”

Should he overcome Price, Littler will then face either Luke Humphries or Nathan Aspinall in the final as he seeks to defend the title he won last year.

Aspinall sealed his play-off berth by defeating Michael van Gerwen, who failed to reach the semi-finals for only the second time in 13 years. 

The Dutchman's form has taken a noticeable dip, leaving him trailing behind the sport’s current frontrunners.

Still, Littler believes the Dutch star will bounce back.

“I remember we did 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.

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

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But right now, the focus is firmly on Littler and Price. 

One is riding a wave of success, the other reeling from a missed opportunity. 

And with the O2 stage set, Littler is more than ready to make the most of it.