Michael van Gerwen: Luke Littler treatment 'a bit scandalous'

michael van gerwen: luke littler treatment 'a bit scandalous'

Michael van Gerwen is wary of the pressure put on Luke Littler (Picture: Getty Images)

Michael van Gerwen feels the attention Luke Littler has got is ‘a bit scandalous towards Luke Humphries’ as the world champion deserves the treatment that the teenager is receiving.

The Nuke has had a stellar start to his professional darts career, earning worldwide attention when he made it to the World Championship final in January at just 16 years old.

He lost that final to Humphries but Littler has continued to impress in his first full season in the PDC, winning the Bahrain Darts Masters, his first Players Championship title and beginning his first Premier League campaign.

Now 17, his achievements are attracting more attention that anything else in darts, certainly more than Humphries, despite Cool Hand being world champion and world number one and MVG is not impressed.

‘I actually think it’s a bit scandalous toward Luke Humphries,’ Van Gerwen told TV channel VTM 2.

‘That guy is the world champion, won all the major majors last year and nobody talks about him. Deep down, that hurts him.’

It is no knock on Littler himself, who MVG rates very highly, but also worries for in terms of dealing with the immense pressure put on him.

michael van gerwen: luke littler treatment 'a bit scandalous'

Luke Humphries and Luke Littler look set for a long rivalry on the oche (Picture: Getty Images)

‘He’s fantastic, but everyone puts so much pressure on him,’ Van Gerwen said of Littler. ‘Let him mature first. He’s done well, but that’s only two months, I’ve been doing it for 18 years.

‘Of course he has everything to become a very big one, but give him a break, y’all. Qualifiers, Euro Tours, Pro Tours, a girlfriend, he has to learn to live with all that. Let him bump his nose and make mistakes, that’s where he learns the most.’

Littler has seemed largely unfazed by the incredible attention and whirlwind of success he has enjoyed since bursting into the public’s consciousness in December.

‘I’ve said to many people I’ve not really set any goals,’ he told PA. ‘I just get on with it. I just have to throw my darts and see where they go.

Premier League Night Four fixtures

Quarter-Finals

Michael Smith v Nathan Aspinall

Rob Cross v Luke Humphries

Peter Wright v Luke Littler

Gerwyn Price v Michael van Gerwen

Semi-Finals

Smith/Aspinall v Cross/Humphries

Wright/Littler v Price/Van Gerwen

‘I’m still gobsmacked that I’m here, getting all these opportunities. I’m just taking it in my stride as I do.’

Littler, Humphries and Van Gerwen are all back in action on Thursday on Night Four of the Premier League in Newcastle.

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