The reigning champion has a six-point lead nearing the halfway point of the regular 16-week Premier League season.

Price is proving to be Littler’s kryptonite and posted a 6-3 win in the final in Nottingham.

The 17-year-old reigning champion will face Gerwyn Price in the quarter-finals.

Littler was well-beaten by Gerwyn Price on Friday.

At 17, Littler became the youngest player to win the World Championship at Alexandra Palace earlier this month

Littler is trying to win his first World Championship title while Van Gerwen is chasing a fourth

The Dutchman threw the perfect leg in the opening set of his first-round match against Madars Razma to earn a £60,000 (nearly €73,000) payday.

At full-time, the scoreline stood at 1-27 to 1-16 in Ballygunner's favour.

Littler beat Luke Humphries 11-7 in the final.

It was Littler’s first visit to the M&S Bank Arena since he went as a fan to watch in 2018 on the night Bristow died of a heart attack.

A 116 check-out booked a last-four showdown with former world champion Gerwyn Price.

The 16-year-old has stormed to the World Championship final, hammering Rob Cross in Tuesday’s semi.

The 16-year-old blew beat Rob Cross 6-2 in his semi-final to set up a final meeting with new world number one Luke Humprhies.

Price won the Sid Waddell Trophy in 2021.

The number 16 seed moved into the third round at Alexandra Palace with a 3-1 victory over Niels Zonneveld.

The Welshman has had an often troubled relationship with the fans.

The PDC World Darts Championship starts on Friday.