Luke Littler, the 18-year-old darts sensation known as “The Nuke,” thrives on chaos, and he’s ready to embrace it again as he steps into the lion’s den of Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena for the Premier League Darts on April 24, 2025. The reigning PDC World Champion, whose meteoric rise has captivated the sport, is no stranger to hostile crowds, but Liverpool’s passionate fans promise a unique challenge. A diehard Manchester United supporter, Littler has stoked the fire with past taunts aimed at Liverpool’s football faithful, and he doubled down with a bold social media post: “One of the best nights on the Premier League calendar coming up tomorrow, bring on the boos Liverpool.” Yet, rival Stephen Bunting, a proud Liverpudlian, has branded Littler “fragile,” suggesting the young star might crack under the Merseyside jeers, setting the stage for a night of high drama.
Littler’s journey to darts superstardom has been nothing short of extraordinary. At 17 years and 347 days, he became the youngest PDC World Champion in January 2025, adding the Premier League, Grand Slam, and World Series Finals to his trophy cabinet in 2024. His Premier League campaign has been dominant, with four nightly wins and a jaw-dropping 102 maximum 180s—more than double his closest competitor. But his outspoken allegiance to Manchester United, coupled with antics like mocking Liverpool’s 2-0 loss to Everton last year as a spectator, has made him a marked man in Liverpool. Bunting, a 40-year-old veteran and devoted Reds fan, didn’t mince words about the anticipated reception. “Football rivalries will always be part of the sport, one way or another, but it’s a dangerous path to go down,” he said, adding, “I would imagine he’s going to get a few boos from a Liverpool crowd and, with how fragile he is at the minute after his experience in Germany, I don’t think he likes it—but sometimes you can bring it on yourself.”
Bunting’s “fragile” jab points to Littler’s recent struggles with hostile crowds in Germany, where he faced relentless boos during the German Darts Grand Prix and Berlin’s Premier League night. A semi-final loss to Gian van Veen in Munich on April 21 left Littler visibly rattled. “I just don’t get it, and I can’t explain it,” he admitted, reflecting on the German fans’ hostility. He even threatened to skip future German events until October’s European Tour finale, recalling a 2024 loss to Peter Wright in Hildesheim where boos derailed his focus. “I was flying and then they started booing me and I lost,” he said. Yet, Littler’s defiance in Liverpool suggests he’s learning to harness the noise, turning jeers into motivation.
The Liverpool crowd, renowned for its intensity, will be primed to test Littler’s resolve. His quarter-final clash against Michael van Gerwen, a three-time world champion, is a marquee matchup, amplified by Van Gerwen’s recent jab at Littler’s professionalism after the teenager arrived 45 minutes late to a photoshoot. “They need to stop treating him as a baby,” Van Gerwen said, adding fuel to the rivalry. Littler’s deleted tweet mocking Liverpool’s Europa League exit only heightened the stakes, ensuring a cacophony of boos as he takes the oche. But if history is any guide, Littler thrives in adversity. In Newcastle, he silenced jeering fans with a 6-0 demolition of Bunting, boasting five 180s and a 110 average. “I always say to myself when you face these crowds, just expect the worst,” he said, a mantra he’ll lean on in Liverpool.
Bunting, despite his friendship with Littler off the oche, knows the Premier League’s unique blend of sport and theater amplifies rivalries. His 6-5 victory over Littler in Rotterdam on April 17, where fans taunted the teenager, showed Littler’s vulnerability but also his grit. “The crowd were giving the masses against him. He withstood it,” pundit Wayne Marsden observed. Littler’s ability to channel hostility into performance will be crucial, especially as he aims to maintain his lead atop the Premier League standings.
Littler’s “Littlermania” has transformed darts, drawing record audiences with his precocious talent and larger-than-life persona. “I always want to put on a show for the fans week in, week out,” he said, embracing the banter that defines the sport’s electric atmosphere. Whether he answers Liverpool’s boos with a flurry of 180s or fuels their fire with another cheeky gesture, Littler’s night in Merseyside will be a defining chapter in his young career. As he navigates the fine line between villain and victor, one thing is clear: The Nuke is ready to explode, boos and all.