LUKE LITTLER threw away a FOUR-LEG lead to crash out of the Premier League Night 12 to Michael van Gerwen.
Last night's defeat at the M&S Bank Arena meant Littler, 18, missed out on winning a record fifth Premier League night - with Gerwyn Price instead landing his third victory of the season.
The Man United fan was given loud boos on his walk-on as he expected at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool.
Littler was playing up to the Liverpool crowd after being booed on his walk to the oche, and instantly looked full of confidence.
The Nuke appeared to be in cruise control as he swept the Dutchman aside to lead 4-0 and silence the jeering arena.
However, he then missed the bullseye to lead by five and just one away from victory.
But he fluffed his chance and MVG grabbed a first leg on the board.
Van Gerwen then pulled in back to 5-3 but Littler then delivered a sublime 160 finish to seemingly take control of the clash yet again.
But once again MVG fought back as Littler’s scoring power just dipped.
Then Littler missed two-match darts and Van Gerwen punished by taking out the deciding leg to win 6-5.
Littler had expected the boos. He had earlier posted on X: “One of the best nights on the Premier League calendar coming up tomorrow, bring on the boos Liverpool.”
Littler kicked things off with a 180 and carried on in epic fashion, swiftly assembling a seemingly unassailable lead.
But Dutchman MvG had other ideas, winning three consecutive legs to throw the tie wide open.
World champion Littler won the eighth leg to make it 5-3, and should have booked his spot in the semi-final in the next one.
But tops and then double 10 alluded him. Van Gerwen responded with a 72 checkout, and then levelled the match at 5-5.
And in one of the most astonishing comebacks of the current campaign, the three-time world champion blew Littler away to secure a much-needed win.
Van Gerwen has been suffering with a neck and back injury which forced him out of action on night nine of the Premier League just THREE minutes before play was due to begin.
Earlier Nathan Aspinall lost 6-3 to World No1 Luke Humphries after admitting he’d been playing on with a dislocated shoulder.
He said: “It was only last week, it happened in the final of the ProTour. I didn’t know what I’d done until I got back home.
“I had a minor dislocation in the shoulder. So I don’t know how I managed to play so well last Thursday.
"I’ve seen Kirsten at the clinic and she’s come up trumps again. It’s still a little bit sore.”
Humphries went on to beat Van Gerwen 6-4 in the semis before Price, who overcame Rob Cross 6-2 in the last four, completed a hat-trick of nightly wins for the season.
The Welshman, who won 6-4 against the world No1, said afterwards: "When I’m on my game I am the best in the world. Luke’s (Littler) as good as he is. Michael is as good as he is on his day.
"But if I play my A game, they don’t beat me. I think they know that as well. But it’s which one of me turns up.
“I just want to make the top four, doesn’t matter if it’s one, two, three or four. Just to be in the O2 next week, that’s my priority. Today was about getting two points, I managed to get five.
“It eases the pressure a little bit. I’m playing really well so there’s no reason why I can’t win every week as well.
“I was under pressure to win my first game and get some vital points on the board. But once I did I settled down a little bit more.
“The crowd were behind me and put Luke (Humphries) off. But I’ve had that loads of times in the past.
“The conditions were good and it’s a fair game and I played some good darts.”
Night 1 - Belfast: Humphries beat Dobey 6-1
Night 2 - Glasgow: Littler beat Humphries 6-5
Night 3 - Dublin: Price beat Aspinall 6-3
Night 4 - Exeter: Humphries beat Littler 6-4
Night 5 - Brighton: Littler beat Aspinall 6-3
Night 6 - Nottingham: Price beat Littler 6-3
Night 7 - Cardiff: Littler beat Van Gerwen 6-4
Night 8 - Newcastle: Littler beat Humphries 6-1
Night 9 - Berlin: Bunting beat Price 6-5
Night 10 - Manchester: Aspinall beat Humphries 6-4
Night 11 - Rotterdam: Dobey beat Bunting 6-2
Night 12 - M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool: Price beat Humphries 6-4
Night 13 - Utilita Arena, Birmingham, Thursday May 1
Night 14 - First Direct Arena, Leeds - Thursday May 8
Night 15 - P&J Live, Aberdeen - Thursday May 15
Night 16 - Utilita Arena, Sheffield - Thursday May 22
Play-Offs - The O2, London - Thursday May 29
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