World champion Luke Littler beats Jonny Clayton to win night 12 of Premier League Darts in Liverpool
Clayton three points clear of Littler at top of table after 12 of 16 league-phase rounds - full standings after Thursday's matches
Final: Clayton 1-6 Littler
Semi-finals: Van Veen 5-6 Clayton, Van Gerwen 5-6 Littler
Quarter-finals: Van Veen 6-4 Price, Bunting 5-6 Clayton, Rock 3-6 Van Gerwen, Humphries 2-6 Littler
Van Veen v Clayton
Aled Williams
BBC Wales Sport at M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
Jonny Clayton has already gatecrashed one party this evening by ending the hopes of local favourite Stephen Bunting.
His semi-final opponent Gian van Veen celebrates his 24th birthday today.
A win here would be a perfect present for the Dutchman - Clayton has form of upsetting the odds.
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My word... I want to see a Littler vs Van Veen final!
Daniel
Result: Humphries 2-6 Littler
Laura Turner
Ex-Women's World Championship quarter-finalist on Sky Sports
Image source, PA MediaDespite those missed doubles in those early legs, Humphries didn't look frustrated and he wasn't letting it get to him. But as the game progressed and the more misses that came along, the frustration built up.
You have to feel for him but he's still not picking up points and that's what it's all about here.
That was a lot [of missed doubles] over a lot of legs. It has normally been at the business end of matches where he's had a few darts to win and hasn't been able to convert it. That was different, that felt like it could be quite damaging going forward.
It's how you bring yourself out. Next week he's going to be feeling the same, thinking he needs points, because he wants to defend his title.
Van Veen v Clayton
As it stands, Jonny Clayton is five points clear at the top of the table.
Gian van Veen is now up to fifth, four points off Michael van Gerwen in fourth.
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I'm not sure Humphries can handle how good Littler is. His game compared to two years ago is shot.
Andy
Humphries has not been the same since losing the number one spot. He will slide further if he doesn't stop the rot.
Karen
Semi-finals
Final
Result: Humphries 2-6 Littler
A big dent in Luke Humphries' top-four hopes.
Will the defending champion miss out on this year's play-offs?
Image source, Getty ImagesHumphries 2-6 Littler
Luke Littler gets down to double eight remaining. Luke Humphries is back on 161 and only scores 59.
Littler misses two at double eight and then goes inside with his third.
Humphries manages to set up a dart at tops, but goes over with that. Littler wraps it up on double four.
Humphries 2-5 Littler
Luke Humphries pulls one more back and will have to win four more legs on the spin to turn this around.
He is averaging more than Luke Littler but has been poor on the outer ring.
Humphries 1-5 Littler
Dan Dawson
Commentator on Sky Sports
Luke Humphries had a dart for a 10-darter there. The scoring has been superb, the finishing is one out of nine. He's had darts to win every leg bar one.
Humphries 1-5 Littler
A fourth maximum from Luke Humphries, a first for Luke Littler.
Luke Humphries misses darts to win the leg. He could have had a 10-darter. Luke Littler doesn't make the same mistake as he takes out 60 with 20 and tops.
Humphries 1-4 Littler
Luke Humphries has finally won a leg.
He takes out 96 to snatch one back with treble 20 and double 18.
Humphries 0-4 Littler
Image source, Getty ImagesThree 180s in the first four legs, all of them from Luke Humphries. He hasn't won a leg.
Single 10 for double 10 wins this one for Luke Littler.
Humphries 0-3 Littler
It doesn't seem like Luke Humphries' night.
He misses two darts at double 16 to win it. Luke Littler punishes him by taking out double 12.
Humphries 0-2 Liittler
Stop that, Luke Littler. Double-double with 60 remaining is an odd choice.
He finds tops, but can't get double 10. He then goes inside on double five.
Humphries misses tops for a 113.
Littler then finds single one, goes inside on double two, but gets the double one.
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I think Humphries need to win it otherwise he won't make the play-offs.
Zac
Humphries 0-1 Littler
Luke Humphries begins with a 180, but loses the leg.
Luke Littler eventually takes out 50 to win it with 10 and tops.
Humphries 0-0 Littler
Charlotte Coates
BBC Sport at M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
Ventured onto the arena floor for Luke Littler's walk on and let's just say the boos were deafening...
Humphries 0-0 Littler
Some boos for Luke Littler as he walks on.
Luke Humphries has the darts for the first leg.
Charlotte Coates
BBC Sport at M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
Luke Littler was faced with a chorus of boos in Rotterdam last week and I don't think his reception will be much better tonight.
He is a Manchester United fan after all...