Luke Littler says he is chasing down Premier League Darts leader Jonny Clayton, with four rounds to go in qualifying for May’s play-off finals. The 19-year-old Manchester United fan made the comment after securing a commanding 6-1 victory over Clayton in Night 12 of the 2026 Premier League Darts tournament at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena on April 23, 2026.
Littler’s win came amid a chorus of boos from the partisan Liverpool crowd supporting Clayton, but the world champion remained composed to claim his fourth nightly win of the season. The victory has significantly narrowed the gap at the top of the Premier League Darts standings, with Littler now just three points behind the Welshman.
According to verified match reports, Littler averaged over 104 points during his dominant performance against Clayton, firing in a flurry of maximums to overwhelm the league leader. He sealed the victory with a clinical 58 finish in the final leg, capping a one-sided final that saw him race into a 4-0 lead early on after capitalising on missed doubles from the 2021 Premier League champion.
Despite the defeat, Clayton remains top of the Premier League Darts table on 32 points, with Littler now sitting on 29 points as the race for the play-offs intensifies. Gerwyn Price sits in third spot on 19 points, followed by Michael van Gerwen on 18 points, Gian van Veen on 14 points, and defending champion Luke Humphries in sixth on 13 points.
The result means there are still four league-phase nights to go before the finals night at London’s O2 Arena on May 28, 2026. Littler, who finished top of the table in the previous two years, said he is determined to do so again, stating: “I’m very close to Jonny now and I’m going to go chasing. I want to finish top once again and if it’s not to be then it’s not to be, but there are still four weeks left to play for.”
Littler’s route to the final was emphatic in the quarter-finals, where he punished a series of missed doubles from Luke Humphries to seal a convincing 6-2 win. He was then involved in one of the matches of the season against Michael van Gerwen in the semi-finals. Despite Van Gerwen producing nine 180s, three 11-darters and averaging over 107, Littler found a way to edge a 6-5 thriller to reach the final.
Clayton, meanwhile, was pushed all the way in his opening match, edging past Stephen Bunting 6-5 in a tense quarter-final. Both players missed chances to accept control late on, but Clayton held his nerve in the decider to progress. The Welshman then came through another deciding-leg battle in the semi-finals, defeating Gian van Veen 6-5. Van Veen missed the bull for a potential 167 match-winning finish, and Clayton capitalised, cleaning up 46 to book his place in yet another weekly final.
Speaking after his victory, Littler insisted he won’t settle for just a Premier League playoff place and plans to chase Clayton for the top spot in the table. “It was a good night. I’m very happy with myself,” he told Sky Sports. “I’ve just got to forget about it. I was definitely focused and wanted to win tonight, and that’s what I’ve done.”
The Manchester native spent his night defying the jeers of the partisan Liverpool audience who were on his opponent’s side throughout the evening. However, Littler stayed strong throughout, especially on the doubles, and sealed a big win in his quest to go into Finals Night in top spot.
When comparing his reception in Rotterdam last Thursday to the one he got in Liverpool, Littler said: “Rotterdam was way louder than this tonight. There was a little bit [of booing] but this week was nothing compared to last week.” Littler had been booed in Rotterdam following his exchange with Dutch number one Gian van Veen in Manchester three weeks ago, but showed his resilience to secure another five points.
With the top four in the Premier League table going through to the finals night, Clayton leads the way three points clear of second-placed Littler, who is 15 ahead of Gian van Veen in fifth. The race for the play-offs continues to intensify as both players aim to secure their place at the O2 Arena later this month.
For ongoing updates on the Premier League Darts 2026 standings, match results, and schedule, fans can follow the official PDC website or tune into live broadcasts on Sky Sports and NOW TV. The tournament continues to deliver high-stakes drama as the world’s best darts players battle for supremacy in the run-up to the play-off finals.
What are your thoughts on Luke Littler’s charge to catch Jonny Clayton at the top of the Premier League Darts table? Share your predictions for the remaining matches and join the conversation in the comments below.