Luke Littler thrashes Jonny Clayton in Liverpool to close gap at summit of Premier League

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/littler-luke/0URN6Xks/"]Littler[/a] was booed by sections of the M&S Bank Arena crowd throughout Night 12, but responded in emphatic fashion, beating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/humphries-luke/n34VOAWo/"]Luke Humphries[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-gerwen-michael/SU4UkKsm/"]Michael van Gerwen[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/clayton-jonny/tx0y2xRD/"]Clayton[/a] to close the gap at the top of the table.[/p][p]The world No. 1 saved his best performance for the final, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/darts/clayton-j-tx0y2xRD/littler-l-0URN6Xks/summary/stats/?mid=nJxt69LO"]overpowering Clayton in a high-quality contest[/a] that featured 11 maximums in just seven legs.[/p][embed guid="668476f8-e1f0-46fd-9ede-992932b3be39" url="https://x.com/OfficialPDC/status/2047431547989410175" social-type="twitter" /][p]Clayton, who had won the previous two nights in Rotterdam and Manchester, landed five 180s of his own, but Littler produced six and punished his opponent's missed chances to seal a convincing win.[/p][p]The teenager opened with an immediate break of throw and quickly moved 5-0 ahead, before Clayton avoided the whitewash. Littler then returned to close out victory on tops and continue his pursuit of the league leader.[/p][embed guid="870e0786-a5ce-42fb-a51e-fd20f2c5c2d0" url="https://x.com/OfficialPDC/status/2047430831816265961" social-type="twitter" /][p]Earlier in the night, Littler defeated Humphries 6-2 in a result that leaves the reigning Premier League champion in a precarious position in the race for Finals Night.[/p][p]Humphries averaged slightly higher than Littler, but his doubling proved costly as he missed a string of chances in the early legs and fell 4-0 behind. Littler eventually completed the win on double 4, offering little celebration after a business-like performance.[/p][p]Littler then edged Van Gerwen 6-5 in a thrilling semi-final, despite the Dutchman averaging 107 and hitting nine maximums. Van Gerwen led 3-1 and 5-4, but Littler fought back, taking out 90 on double 15 before holding throw in the decider with a clinical 46 checkout.[/p][embed guid="e83542ab-9f2c-4e5b-8c25-8786e72b4e06" url="https://x.com/BetMGMUK/status/2047431041766350978" social-type="twitter" /][p]Clayton reached the final after two last-leg victories, first beating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bunting-stephen/xANKMtPG/"]Stephen Bunting[/a] 6-5 before edging [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-veen-gian/jgT1AT29/"]Gian van Veen[/a] by the same scoreline.[/p][p]Bunting, backed heavily by his home Liverpool crowd, missed a match dart at D18 before Clayton returned to finish double 8. Van Veen then pushed Clayton all the way in the semi-final, but the Welshman survived after the Dutchman missed the bull for a 167 finish in the deciding leg.[/p][p]Van Veen had earlier produced one of the results of the night by beating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/price-gerwyn/8dDDoW0B/"]Gerwyn Price[/a] 6-4 in the opening quarter-final, while Van Gerwen defeated [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rock-josh/xKxxNY1P/"]Josh Rock[/a] 6-3 to boost his own play-off hopes.[/p][h2]Night 12 results[/h2][p][b]Quarter-finals[/b][/p][p]Gian van Veen 6-4 Gerwyn Price[/p][p]Jonny Clayton 6-5 Stephen Bunting[/p][p]Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Josh Rock[/p][p]Luke Littler 6-2 Luke Humphries[/p][p][b]Semi-finals[/b][/p][p]Jonny Clayton 6-5 Gian van Veen[/p][p]Luke Littler 6-5 Michael van Gerwen[/p][p][b]Final[/b][/p][p]Luke Littler 6-1 Jonny Clayton[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/darts/world/premier-league/"]Follow the Premier League with Flashscore[/a][/h2]