- Luke Littler has recently suffered a dip in form following his Premier League triumph
- Gerwyn Price has criticised the 17-year-old for being ‘bad’ in his shock defeats
- Littler begins his Matchplay adventure against Michael van Gerwen
Outspoken darts player Gerwyn Price has criticised Luke Littler’s recent performances as ‘poor’ after the 17-year-old prodigy was defeated in the first round of the Players Championship 13 in Milton Keynes last week.
Littler has quickly become the sport’s most popular player and has enjoyed great success since reaching the final of the World Darts Championship earlier this year.
The Warrington-born star stunned the senior players on tour by winning the Premier League at his first attempt and claiming multiple event titles during his run of titles.
However, Littler has suffered a surprising dip in form, losing two of his last three matches ahead of the upcoming World Matchplay.
World No.4 Price has been critical of Littler’s performances of late, declaring in a surprisingly damning analysis that the teenager ‘doesn’t really do much’.
Luke Littler has recently suffered a dip in form ahead of the start of the World Matchplay
Outspoken darts player Gerwyn Price has criticised Littler’s recent performances as ‘rubbish’
“I think all eyes are on Luke at the moment because Luke Littler isn’t really doing that much. I mean he was rubbish at the weekend in the Pro Tours,” Price said Online darts.
Littler begins his Matchplay adventure on Sunday when the youngster takes on three-time world champion and new rival Michael van Gerwen in the first round.
An intense rivalry has developed between the two since Littler stepped onto the podium at the World Championships and has already defeated Van Gerwen several times this year.
Littler has become the sport’s most popular player after breaking through at the World Darts Championship
Price was keen to make it clear that he has no doubts Littler will be back in top form this weekend and simply stressed that the star player is a genuine top performer.
“I know he probably looks a bit like Dimi (Dimitri Van den Bergh) and Kevin Painter, he’s a stage player. No doubt about it, he’s going to perform in the Matchplay.
But Michael [van Gerwen] – what a first round match that is. It’s going to be tough for both of them, but I think Michael will come out fighting. Who knows who’s going to win that one,’ he added.
However, Littler has received support from reigning Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall, who recently claimed other competitors are ‘jealous’ of the teenager’s star status.