Luke Littler has risked incurring the wrath of his rivals by insisting he is everyone’s cup final when they step up to the oche.
The 18-year-old is one of the sport’s biggest draws since bursting onto the scene at the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship, where he finished as the runner-up.
And he has since proceeded to show why many consider him to be the most gifted player ever by scooping 11 PDC titles in the last 12 months.
In addition to winning his first world title last month, he is also the reigning Premier League, Grand Slam and World Series champion.
Rising up to second in the world rankings – only behind Luke Humphries – Littler goes into Thursday’s opening night of the Premier League in Belfast as the favourite to retain his title.
The teenager will renew his rivalry with Dutch star Michael van Gerwen in the second half of the draw for his first match of the tournament.
And he has given his rivals plenty of motivation to get one over him by insisting their biggest match is always against him.
Speaking to talkSPORT’s Harry Durham, Littler was asked whether he feels he has a target on his back going into tournaments.
To which he said: “I think there’s been a target on my back since the start of last year, obviously runner-up [at 2024 World Championship].
“I’ve said it for years and years, even when I’ve been on the old BDO/WDF circuit, people are going to play their A-game [against me].
“They’re going to, it’s their cup final when they do come up against me.
“And I have to expect the best out of every player that I do play.
“So if I’m not on it, then nine times out of ten, I will get beat, because they’re throwing in a 110 average.”
And in a warning to his rivals, Littler then stressed he’s capable of stepping up the gears when needed in pressure situations.
Pressed on how he gets in the zone, he remarked: “Everyone knows, even myself, I can find those extra gears.
“I can go out and do ten or 11-darters and that’s what hurts people – it’s the power scoring that I’ve got.
“I’ll probably say it’s one of the best in the sport.”
Littler will be hoping for a similar dazzling display against Van Gerwen as he did against him last year in the Premier League, where he recorded his highest three-dart average of 114.
And as he prepares to face him in Belfast, Littler was asked whether he believes he is in his head having won seven out of their last ten meetings.
To which a laughing Littler remarked: “No idea. It’s difficult.
“It’s difficult the way that both of us players go around it, we are totally different.
“But if it doesn’t go to plan [in Belfast], fingers crossed obviously it does, it is what it is.
“We’ve still got another 15 weeks to try and get to the 02 in London.
“Obviously Belfast last year was my first nightly win, so hopefully I can win it again, but first things first, I must get past Michael in the first game.”