In a thrilling night of darts at Manchester’s AO Arena, hometown favorite Nathan Aspinall rose to the occasion, delivering a standout performance to secure his first Premier League Darts nightly win of the 2025 season. With the crowd roaring behind him—including football icon Wayne Rooney watching from the stands—Aspinall seized the moment in a dramatic finale that saw him overcome the reigning world number one, Luke Humphries, with a 6–4 victory.
Aspinall, known affectionately as “The Asp,” had not yet claimed a nightly win in this year’s Premier League, but that all changed in front of his home fans. The tension in the arena was palpable as he faced off against Humphries in the final. Despite missing five match darts, Aspinall kept his nerve, regrouped, and finished the job to the delight of the Manchester crowd. “I wasn’t going to lose in front of this crowd,” he said, visibly emotional after the win. “They pushed me over the line tonight.”
His opponent in the final, Luke Humphries, had entered the match on the back of a staggering performance against Stephen Bunting, where he posted an eye-watering average of 118.43—one of the highest ever recorded in Premier League history. But even that kind of form wasn’t enough to halt Aspinall’s inspired run on home turf.
Earlier in the evening, the darts world witnessed another magical moment when Gerwyn Price hit a sensational nine-darter during his quarter-final match against teenage sensation Luke Littler. It was a moment of brilliance from the Welshman—just the 12th perfect leg in Premier League history—but Littler remained unfazed. He went on to defeat Price 6–3, ending a frustrating losing streak against the former world champion. “It’s always special to play Gerwyn, but to beat him like that—especially after a nine-darter—means a lot,” Littler said.
However, Littler’s night ended in disappointment in the semi-finals, where he clashed with Humphries. Despite a strong start, the young prodigy struggled to find his rhythm on the doubles, converting just 4 of 21 attempts at checkout. Humphries, ever the opportunist, took full advantage, stringing together three crucial legs to book his place in the final.
The victory not only gave Aspinall his first night win of the season but also significantly boosted his standing in the table. While Luke Littler still leads the Premier League with 28 points, Humphries is closing in with 23. Behind them, a fierce three-way tie sees Price, Aspinall, and Michael van Gerwen all level on 15 points, setting up a thrilling race for the playoff spots.
With only a few weeks remaining until the playoffs at London’s O2 Arena on May 29, every match is taking on added significance. And after this electric night in Manchester, it’s clear that the race for Premier League glory is far from over. Nathan Aspinall’s comeback on home soil has not only reignited his campaign—it’s reminded everyone exactly why he’s a fan favorite.