LUKE LITTLER bought a Manchester United shirt before keeping the dream alive of a World Matchplay double.
The World No1 crushed Josh Rock 16-7 in their quarter-final clash at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool tonight.
Littler hammered pal Josh Rock 16-7 to reach the World Matchplay semi-final Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Littler dashed to Manchester to pick up Man Utd’s latest away shirt Credit: Instagram
Littler, 19, had prepared by picking up a new blue United kit and then blitzed his pal Rocky to keep the hopes of retaining the Matchplay crown and being the first player in history to break the £3million ranking money limit.
The defending champ just has to make Jattvibeday’s final to cross that threshold – and open up a lead of over £2million on world No2 Luke Humphries.
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And Littler is still on course for a perfect year – having collected every darts TV major so far.
He said: “Another brilliant game for myself. I’ve gone 109, 113, 109 (averages). I’ve just got to keep it going.
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“Fair play to Josh he gave me a really good game. But I think it was the third session when I won all five legs and got myself into that lead. Then just had to stay there and get the job done.
“You’d have to go back and check the stats for the Premier League and World Championships. But at the minute I feel very good.
“I can afford to miss a few doubles because the scoring is there. Fair play to Josh he put up a good fight.
“As long as I’m playing well, as long as I’m practising, I’ll give it a really good go.”
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Littler will face Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode on Saturday night Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Littler began the clash in blistering style with six perfect darts in the second leg. He missed out on the nine-darter but took an early lead of 3-2.
In a strangely subdued encounter, Rock came back to level it up at 5-5 at the end of the second session.
But The Nuke then took a stranglehold of the clash with four ton-plus finishes and a stunning run of seven successive legs to lead 12-5.
There was little chance of a Rock comeback from that point and Littler soon wrapped it up with his favourite double 10.
Littler now faces Dirk van Duijvenbode on Saturday for a place in the final after the Dutchman beat Gary Anderson 16-13.
Hours before Littler’s clash he posted a picture of himself wearing the new Red Devils away strip which was released this week.
He wrote: “Trip to the Trafford had to get this beauty of a top @manutd.”
