**Luke Littler’s Potential Grudge with Phil Taylor After 2025 Premier League Darts Heartbreak**
Luke Littler, the 18-year-old darts prodigy, may harbor a “bone to pick” with Phil Taylor following his 11-8 loss to Luke Humphries in the 2025 Premier League Darts final at London’s O2 Arena on May 29, 2025, as suggested by Express.co.uk. Taylor, the 16-time world champion, provided crucial mentorship to Humphries, which helped him overcome Littler and claim the £275,000 prize, completing darts’ Triple Crown. Littler’s emotional heartbreak, compounded by an uncharacteristic moment and crowd disruptions, parallels other sports narratives, like Emma Raducanu’s French Open struggles, while fueling speculation of a rivalry across eras.
**Taylor’s Role in Littler’s Heartbreak**
Humphries revealed post-match that Taylor offered “wise and encouraging words” in recent weeks, boosting his confidence to defeat Littler, per Express.co.uk. “Phil Taylor gave me a lot of support… when the greatest darts player shows belief in you, it feels good,” Humphries told Sky Sports, keeping details private but emphasizing it was about his own mindset, not Littler’s game. This mentorship, reported by BBC Sport, proved pivotal as Humphries avenged his 2024 final loss (11-7, with Littler’s nine-darter) and halted Littler’s bid to join Taylor and Michael van Gerwen as back-to-back Premier League winners. Littler, who topped the league with a record 45 points and six nightly wins, may feel Taylor’s influence tipped the scales, especially after his emotional exit, saying, “I’m glad the Premier League’s over,” per Sky Sports.[](https://www.express.co.uk/sport/othersport/2061919/luke-littler-phil-taylor-premier-league-darts-luke-humphries)[](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/darts/2025/05/29/premier-league-darts-final-live-score-luke-littler/)
**Littler’s Uncharacteristic Moment and Match Context**
At 5-5, Littler broke his usual focus by discussing a draft with Humphries, a move fans like @FiiiveCantonas on X called a surrender of his “aura,” allowing Humphries to break with a 130 checkout (T20, T20, D5). Littler’s 100.29 average and 29.6% double accuracy (8/27) couldn’t match Humphries’ 97.86 and 29.7%, with missed D15 and D12 proving costly, per SportingLife.com. The semi-final against Gerwyn Price, where Littler stormed off stage at 6-4 down due to nerves before rallying for a 10-6 win with a 104.00 average, showed his resilience despite crowd chaos—a foam finger struck him pre-match, per Express.co.uk. Humphries, shaking his head over the draft, per Express.co.uk, leveraged Taylor’s advice to stay composed, echoing his Leeds win over Littler (6-5).[](https://www.sportinglife.com/darts/news/darts-results-luke-humphries-beats-luke-littler-to-win-the-2025-premier-league-darts-title/225829)
**Littler’s Ambition vs. Taylor’s Legacy**
Littler has openly targeted Taylor’s record of 16 world titles, stating, “If I want it, I’m sure I’ll do it,” per Sky Sports. Taylor, who backed Littler to break his record but warned of “Man Utd syndrome”—where opponents raise their game—suggested Littler’s mental strength could handle it. Gerwyn Price, after beating Littler in Nottingham, predicted he’d surpass Taylor, saying, “No one in the PDC can stop him,” per SportingLife.com. However, Dennis Priestley doubted Littler could match Taylor’s decades-long dominance, despite surpassing his earnings, per The Mirror. Taylor’s support for Humphries, who joined him, van Gerwen, and Gary Anderson in the Triple Crown club, may sting Littler, who idolizes “The Power” but now sees him aiding his rival.[](https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12040/13289337/phil-taylor-luke-littler-must-overcome-manchester-united-syndrome-to-beat-my-world-championship-record)[](https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12040/13289337/phil-taylor-luke-littler-must-overcome-manchester-united-syndrome-to-beat-my-world-championship-record)[](https://www.sportinglife.com/darts/news/darts-results-gerwyn-price-beats-luke-littler-for-a-sixth-time-in-a-row-but-still-predicts-the-nuke-to-break-phil-taylors-record-of-16-world-titles/224332)
**Speculation of a Grudge**
Express.co.uk’s claim that Littler “may have a bone to pick” stems from Taylor’s role in Humphries’ victory, potentially frustrating Littler’s title defense. While no direct feud exists—Littler and Taylor played a friendly Jenga game after an April Fools’ exhibition hoax, per Express.co.uk—Littler’s competitive drive, evident in his 2025 World Championship win over van Gerwen (7-3), suggests he might channel this into chasing Taylor’s records. Bobby George’s bold claim that Littler would “slaughter” a prime Taylor, per GBNews.com, adds fuel to their generational rivalry narrative.[](https://www.express.co.uk/sport/othersport/2061919/luke-littler-phil-taylor-premier-league-darts-luke-humphries)[](https://www.express.co.uk/sport/othersport/2061919/luke-littler-phil-taylor-premier-league-darts-luke-humphries)[](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/darts/articles/cz0dxve2j7go)
**Parallels in Sports**
Littler’s heartbreak mirrors Emma Raducanu’s “uncomfortable” 2025 French Open loss to Swiatek, where Mark Petchey defended her work ethic, per TennisExpress. Like Littler’s draft lapse, Raducanu’s exposure on clay reflects vulnerability under pressure. Jannik Sinner’s resilience amid Darren Cahill’s playful “Luigi” jab, Novak Djokovic’s physio crisis, and Katie Boulter’s support for Alex de Minaur’s schedule critique echo Littler’s grit, supported by Faith Millar, per Express.co.uk. Humphries’ 130 checkout, akin to Alexander Zverev’s watch wager, underscores clutch performance.
**Conclusion**
Luke Littler may resent Phil Taylor’s mentorship of Luke Humphries, which fueled Humphries’ 11-8 win in the 2025 Premier League Darts final on May 29, 2025, per Express.co.uk. Littler’s uncharacteristic draft talk and emotional exit, after a 45-point season, suggest a personal sting, despite no overt feud. Like Raducanu, Sinner, Djokovic, Boulter, and de Minaur, Littler’s resilience shines. He and Humphries team up for the World Cup of Darts in June, live on Sky Sports, where Littler aims to reclaim glory.[]
