Premier League | Michael van Gerwen edges out Luke Littler as Luke Humphries also progresses

Chris Dobey v Rob Cross
Michael van Gerwen v Luke Humphries

Dominant from Luke Humphries.

The World No.1 was impressive without looking it and checks out 75 on double-12 with ease to move into the Semi-Finals, where he will take on Michael van Gerwen!

Every mistake from Aspinall has been punished by Humphries and it happens again as the two players mirror each other, leaving themselves on 150 and then 92, and it’s Humphries who takes it out after Aspinall tried to go double-double on 18s and missed, the World No.1 breaking back on double-16.

Hello there.

Humphries has a poor leg on the trebles and Aspinall capitalises, missing the first big treble on his checkout but bouncing back superbly by hitting treble-20 and then double-12 for the second leg in a row to break the Humphries throw!

Game on?

Aspinall is on the board and he celebrates with outstretched arms in more relief than anything else. He needs two darts at 78 with Humphries down at 16 and he’s opened up hopes that he might have a comeback in him.

That’s an 11-darter for Humphries as he throws four perfect darts and then takes out 85 in two. He’s started to hit his stride now.

Clinical from Humphries as Aspinall misses another two darts at double-10 to claim a leg and the World No.1 makes him pay in some fashion as he takes out 139 for another break of throw. This looks like it’s only going one way here.

A bit better from the World No.1 as he takes out 98 in two darts to hold his throw after three visits of 130+.

Neither player will be thrilled by their first leg and it’s Humphries who breaks throw with his fourth dart at double-8 as Aspinall misses five darts to hold his throw.

Bit of a comedown after what we’ve just watched.

Best-of-11 once more, Nathan Aspinall has the darts and here we go!

It’s time for our final Quarter-Final as World No.1 Luke Humphries goes up against Nathan Aspinall! Here come the walk-ons…

Luke Littler had a 113.91 average and still lost – that is the highest average we have ever seen in a match in Belfast. That’s incredible.

What a match. Quite simply, what a match.

Van Gerwen has a shot at the bull for the win to take out 127… just misses! Littler then has an opportunity at 167 and hits treble-20… his dart at treble-19 is inches in the wrong bed! Van Gerwen back for double-8 to check out 25… he gets it! That was the finale that match deserved and then some!

Van Gerwen progresses to take on either Nathan Aspinall or Luke Humphries!

This match has absolutely deserved a deciding leg and we get one as Littler pings the bullseye for an 87 checkout with Van Gerwen lurking on 92!

Could we not just keep replaying this match over and over?

Wow, Michael van Gerwen misses two darts at the win and Littler punishes him by taking out double-tops to break back!

This match has been unmissable!

A huge chance for Van Gerwen to pull clear with a break but he misses two darts at double-tops… but Littler also misses two darts to win the leg, surprisingly one of them at double-10!

Van Gerwen back to the board… and he takes double-10 at the third time of asking to move one from victory!

Littler misses a dart at double-13 for the break and Van Gerwen comes back with another incredible checkout on double-17 to take out 114 and hold his throw!

The standard of this match has been nothing short of exemplary.

Back-to-back legs with mistakes from Van Gerwen as he misses 18 for a shot at a double.

This one doesn’t cost him, though, as Littler misses double-tops for the leg and Van Gerwen comes back to hit double-16 and break straight back to regain control!

The first slip from either player as Van Gerwen misses three darts at double-10 to win the leg and Littler cleans up having just missed the bull to break, getting the leg against the throw as he cleans up 25 on double-10!

161 CHECKOUT!

The quality of this match is off the charts as both players leave themselves on 161 but Littler doesn’t even given Van Gerwen a chance as he goes T20-T17-Bull to take leg four!