- The Nuke beat his Dutch rival 7-3 and became the youngest winner in history at just 17 years old.
- He averaged just over 102 and threw 12 180s in an imperious display on Friday.
- Stephen Bunting wanted to take the trophy to Anfield but Littler beat him in the semi-finals
Luke Littler, an avid Manchester United fan, has declared his intention to display his World Darts Championship trophy at Old Trafford after becoming the youngest person in history to win the prestigious honour.
He downed three-time champion Michael van Gerwen 7-3 in sets on Friday night to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy at Alexander Palace aged just 17.
The teenage sensation added the finishing touch to a remarkable year that began with his 2024 Alexandra Palace final against Luke Humphries, which he lost 7-4, and featured wins. in Bahrain, Austria, Belgium and Poland to win £1 million in prizes.
He also won the Premier League trophy before beating the likes of Stephen Bunting and Nathan Aspinall at the World Cup.
Littler averaged just over 102 and threw 12 180s in an imperious display in London. He also hit an astonishing 56 percent of his double attempts.
It all meant he practically had the trophy in his hands before the Ally Pally punters finished their first pitchers, but now he's told them sky sports plans to give fans of another sport a chance to see the shiny silverware.
Luke Littler aims to display his World Darts Championship trophy at Old Traffprd
The Nuke was unflappable on the night in a dominant victory over Michael van Gerwen
He broke the Green Machine record as the youngest winner in history, lifting the title at age 17.
He said: “If I'm allowed, I'm sure I'll go to Old Trafford.”
“Yes (it's an honour). I'm glad I beat Stephen (Bunting) yesterday because I'm pretty sure I was going to take him to Anfield at the weekend.”
Littler crushed Bunting 6-1 in the semi-final on Thursday night, but 'The Bullet's' Reds are performing much better than 'The Nuke's' United, with Arne Slot's men six points clear in the top of the Premier League with a game in hand.
Bunting previously expressed his desire to take the trophy to Anfield if he wins it.
“I don't want to disappoint (the fans),” he said. 'We can do this, we really can. At Anfield we always say that the public is like the twelfth man and here it is no different. These fans can take me anywhere. This year will be heaven for Bunting.
“It would be a dream come true (to bring the trophy to Anfield). It would be even more fantastic because we are playing against Man United, it would be incredible.”
Instead, it is Littler who gets to show the trophy to his fellow United fans after breaking van Gerwen's record of being the youngest world champion in history.
Comfortably: The Green Machine was a comparatively 24 years older when he claimed victory in 2014 against Peter Wright.
There was also a subtle comment about Stephen Bunting, who made clear his desire to take him to Anfield.
Littler's beloved Manchester United will face red-hot Liverpool, who top the table, on Sunday.
The Red Devils have had a disastrous campaign, ranking 14th under new boss Ruben Amorim
The rivalry between Van Gerwen and Littler may have only begun in early 2024, but watching the pair collide in the ultimate competition has become box office staples over the course of the past 12 months.
The pair had met 12 times since their first match at the Bahrain Masters in January, with both finishing on top six times each.
Littler has had the better of his recent meetings, beating the Dutchman in the semi-finals of the World Series of Darts and on the European Tour.
After the match, the teen sensation broke down in tears and shared a touching moment with van Gerwen, with the pair congratulating each other.
United's 2024 couldn't be further from Littler's as the Red Devils currently sit in 14th place after failing to improve under new coach Ruben Amorim.
The Portuguese replaced Erik ten Hag in November with the team in exactly the same position. They have lost three games in a row, including a humiliating 4-0 home defeat to Bournemouth.
It is the worst possible shape ahead of their meeting with rival Liverpool, who have lost just once all season and are also leading the Champions League group stage.
