Michael van Gerwen has dismissed Luke Littler’s “unfair” claims about the Bahrain match

Michael van Gerwen has dismissed Luke Littler’s “unfair” claims about the Bahrain match.

Luke Littler grabbed all the media attention at the World Darts Championships earlier this month.

Michael van Gerwen believes Luke Humphreys didn’t get enough credit for beating Luke Littler. (Image: GETTY)

Michael van Gerwen has suggested the media hype surrounding Luke Littler at the World Darts Championship was “unfair” to winner Luke Humphreys. Littler quickly rose to prominence after reaching the final at Alexandra Palace, but ultimately it was Humphries who emerged victorious after impressive wins from the likes of Rob Cross and Raymond van Barneveld.

Littler returns to the Bahrain Masters this week and could face Van Gerwen in the final if both players win their next two matches. After his first-round victory over Holland’s Hassan Haji, Littler was surrounded by the media and Humphries insisted he deserved more credit than the 16-year-old superstar.

“He (Littler) has got to fight but people forget what a tournament Luke Humphries had,” Van Gerwen told talkSPORT. “It’s a bit unfair on the guy. Luke Littler had a great tournament but I think he was taken from Luke Humphreys.”

Littler’s performances at Alexandra Palace earned him a trip to the prestigious Premier League tournament and the chance to exact revenge on Humphries. He will first defeat Nathan Aspinal in the quarter-finals of the Bahrain Masters before being tasked with setting up a last-four meeting with either Humphries or Gerwyn Price.