• Michael van Gerwen won for a third straight week of the Premier League Darts
  • The Dutch superstar beat Nathan Aspinall 6-4 in Thursday’s final in Newcastle
  • Van Gerwen beat Luke Littler 6-5 in the semi-finals as their rivalry continues

Luke Littler’s rivalry with Michael van Gerwen gained further momentum after the 17-year-old was beaten in a deciding leg in the fourth Premier League event of the season.

The pair faced off in the semi-finals at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle, with Van Gerwen storming into a 5-3 lead.

Littler hit back to level the contest and appeared to leave the Dutchman hanging, after Van Gerwen attempted to fist bump him after the teenager levelled the score.

Van Gerwen bounced back from missing six match darts in the penultimate leg, as he broke Littler’s throw to clinch the decider.

The two stars embraced each other with a hug following Van Gerwen’s 6-5 win, which saw him set up a final against Nathan Aspinall.

Luke Littler left Michael van Gerwen hanging after forcing a deciding leg in the semi-final

Luke Littler left Michael van Gerwen hanging after forcing a deciding leg in the semi-final

Van Gerwen and Littler hugged after the Dutchman beat the 17-year-old in the decider

Van Gerwen and Littler hugged after the Dutchman beat the 17-year-old in the decider

Van Gerwen went on to secure his third consecutive Premier League win of the season.

The three-time Premier League champion clinched a 6-4 win over Aspinall, who was appearing in his first final of the season.

Van Gerwen had fallen 2-0 down in the final, but won five legs in a row to move to the brink of victory.

Aspinall staged a late fightback to reduce the deficit, but Van Gerwen won his ninth consecutive Premier League match to pull further clear at the top of the standings.

‘First two legs I played poorly but it’s first to six and I never gave up,’ Van Gerwen told Sky Sports . ‘I feel confident and as long as I feel confident, I don’t care about the rest.’

‘I’m not going to give myself any targets. I’m going week by week, no targets, no goals, just keep focusing otherwise I get bored.

‘At the moment, the plan works so hopefully I can keep going. Winning is the most important thing, as a darts player you don’t care about anything else.

Van Gerwen won his third consecutive Premier League event to move clear in the standings

Van Gerwen won his third consecutive Premier League event to move clear in the standings

‘I don’t know how many nights I can win, I don’t want to give myself a target but it could be a record this year.

‘At this time of year you need to keep your focus going and your motivation going. Everything is going well at the moment and I don’t care about the rest.’

Van Gerwen is now eight points clear at the top of the Premier League standings, with opening night winner Michael Smith second on seven points.

Littler lies third on seven but is yet to win a stop on the series, with Rob Cross completing the top four on six points. 

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Post source: Daily mail

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