Title favourites Luke Littler and Michael Van Gerwen have set up a blockbuster heavyweight Final at the Ally Pally.
The Dutchman is the highest seeded player remaining in the tournament and the No.3 ranked ace sank Chris Dobey to make the showpiece. Littler, however, is the odds-on championship favourite with the bookmakers and romped his clash against Stephen Bunting to set up the showdown.
For the teenager it’s been an historic season since his debut at the Worlds this time a year ago and he became only the seventh player ever to make back to back finals – and he’s only just getting started. But he’s up against an MVG with a bit between his teeth who knows that, on his day, he can still beat anyone. The match itself, not just the broadcast, starts at 7pm, so make sure you’re seated nice and early for what promises to be a cracker. Record Sport gives a full guide tonight’s final.
Michael van Gerwen vs Luke Littler – World Darts Championship final – 7pm
Format: Best of 13 sets.
Best match odds: Van Gerwen 11/5 Littler 2/5
Van Gerwen’s Road to the Final
- Round 2: Bt. James Hurrell 3-0. Match average: 94.85
- Round 3: Bt. Brendan Dolan 4-2. Match average: 97.01
- Round 4: Bt. Jeffrey De Graaf 4-2. Match average: 101.98
- Quarter-final: Bt. Callan Rydz 5-3. Match average: 103.10
- Semi final: Bt. Chris Dobey 6-1 Match average: 98.84
Form Guide: The Green Machine has, if not in terms of pure numbers, got better with each match. His opening victory over James Hurrell was a formality before big questions were asked in the success over Brendan Dolan. Van Gerwen stepped up again in the triumph over Jeffrey De Graaf where he averaged over 102 and the performance against Callan Rydz was spectacular. Whenever asked big questions, Van Gerwen had the answers and he was in the same decisive mood against Chris Dobey. Although that display was not to the same scoring standard, he once more hit the key shots at the right times.
Luke Littler’s Road to the Final
- Round 2: Bt. Ryan Meikle 3-1. Match average: 100.85
- Round 3: Bt. Ian White 4-1. Match average: 97.84
- Round 4: Bt. Ryan Joyce 4-3. Match average: 103.14
- Quarter-final: Bt. Nathan Aspinall 5-2. Match average: 101.54
- Semi-final: Bt. Stephen Bunting 6-1. Match average: 105.48
Form guide: Littler has been the man to beat in the Championship since the exit of Luke Humphries and he’s shown impressive facets to his game. The Nuke has the ability to hit a power button and get himself out of any danger and has had to display that trait having been pushed and tested in his trio of outings so far against Ryan Meikle, Ian White and Ryan Joyce. Nathan Aspinall offered some questions in the last-eight game, but, again, he was able to stave it off with strong scoring. Littler was not able to take out big and stylish finishes and there were not many huge out-shots, but it was different against Stephen Bunting where he backed up the scoring with both impressive and timely out-shots including a 170 special.
Where and how to watch
The tournament is being broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, through the PDC’s worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria & Switzerland based subscribers).