Darts world champion holds up two fingers to remind Spurs supporters of his World Championship tally as banter continues
Luke Littler delivered the perfect riposte to taunting Tottenham fans at Old Trafford on Saturday, holding up two fingers to remind them of his back-to-back World Championship triumphs after they attempted to needle him during the half-time trophy parade.
The 19-year-old darts sensation showcased his Sid Waddell Trophy on the Old Trafford turf during the interval of Manchester United’s 2-0 Premier League victory over Spurs, but the celebratory moment took an unexpected turn when visiting supporters began chanting.
Spurs Fans Invoke Van Gerwen’s Name
With their side trailing 1-0 at the interval, Spurs fans sought to needle the young champion by invoking his Dutch rival Michael van Gerwen’s name from the away section.
The Tottenham faithful clearly aimed to get under Littler’s skin by singing the name of the seven-time world champion, who had just won his first Premier League nightly title in over a year on Thursday in Newcastle.
Littler wasted no time in responding, directing attention to his trophy whilst holding up two fingers towards the visiting supporters—a gesture symbolizing his two World Championship titles won in consecutive years.
The exchange was not shown on TNT Sports’ broadcast, though eagle-eyed fans captured the moment and shared it widely on social media.
Fresh Off Newcastle Banter
The Old Trafford exchange came just 48 hours after Littler had engaged in his own verbal sparring with Newcastle supporters following his shock Premier League defeat.
After suffering a 6-4 defeat to Gian van Veen at the Utilita Arena on Thursday, Littler took fewer than ten minutes to fire back at the Geordie crowd with a social media post.
Alongside an image of himself watching the darts on a projector screen, the teenager wrote: “Newcastle, you were brilliant. On to next week… PS 3-1”.
The cryptic postscript appeared to reference Newcastle United’s 3-1 Carabao Cup semi-final second leg defeat to Manchester City the previous evening, which meant the Magpies failed to reach the final.
The avid Manchester United supporter had anticipated facing jeers from the Newcastle faithful during his Premier League appearance, though the reception was mixed. While some fans greeted him with scattered boos as he made his entrance, others offered applause and chants throughout his match.
When asked about his Instagram dig at Newcastle, Littler was dismissive: “It’s all banter at the end of the day”.
United’s Famous Supporter
Littler’s appearance at Old Trafford marked the second time he has paraded the World Championship trophy to the Manchester United crowd, having done the same after winning his first title in January 2025.
The darts prodigy won his second straight World Championship title in January 2026 after registering a crushing 7-1 victory over Gian van Veen in the final at Alexandra Palace, becoming the first man to have won back-to-back World Championship titles since Gary Anderson 10 years ago.
Despite his busy schedule dominating the darts world, Littler has found time to attend United games this season. He was pictured in the away end at Molineux in December watching United beat Wolves, though his appearance caused some controversy.
Littler felt the need to clarify on social media that he had been gifted the tickets by United’s kit manufacturer Adidas amid backlash from other fans on waiting lists. “Everyone just jumps on everything,” Littler said. “They don’t know anything”.
Growing Accustomed to Hostile Crowds
The commanding darts player has grown accustomed to receiving stick from crowds following his remarkable achievements in the sport.
During his remarkable 2024 World Championship run as a 16-year-old, Littler faced considerable hostility from sections of the Alexandra Palace crowd. Since then, he’s learned to use the antagonism as fuel, often delivering his best performances when facing opposition.
His response to the World Championship crowd after facing jeers demonstrated his mental fortitude. “Really not bothered. You guys pay for tickets and you pay for my prize so thanks for booing me. No-one wanted me to win but I proved them wrong yet again,” he said following his victory over Rob Cross, adding: “They want the underdogs to win, they want the favourites to go out. I just had to get it out of the way and get my job done”.
United’s Perfect Afternoon
The afternoon proved even sweeter for Littler as his beloved Manchester United secured all three points against Tottenham.
United secured victory thanks to strikes from Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes, with the win made considerably easier after Cristian Romero was sent off during the opening period.
The result keeps United firmly in contention for European qualification under manager Michael Carrick, much to the delight of their most famous teenage supporter.
Back to Premier League Action
Following his celebratory moment at Old Trafford, Littler will refocus on defending his Premier League Darts title when the tournament resumes on Thursday in Antwerp, Belgium.
Littler has fond memories of Belgium; over the past two years he has been the standout at the Belgian Darts Open each time, a tournament that is part of the European Tour.
After his opening-night defeat to Van Veen snapped a nine-match winning streak at televised events, “The Nuke” will be eager to return to winning ways and show that his response to taunting crowds isn’t just limited to hand gestures—he can back it up on the oche too.
For now, though, Littler can savor delivering the perfect comeback to Tottenham fans: two fingers, two World Championships, and a 2-0 victory for his beloved Red Devils. Not bad for a teenager who treats the banter as “just part of the game.”
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