Nathan Aspinall has risked ruffling feathers by boldly asserting that Luke Littler and Luke Humphries will never reach the same echelon as Michael van Gerwen in the darts pantheon. All four players are currently competing in this year’s Premier League, where Humphries holds the top position after the opening four rounds. Littler trails closely in second place, while Van Gerwen sits in the final playoff spot, showcasing his enduring prowess.
Aspinall, positioned just one spot behind Van Gerwen in fifth, notched a significant 6-3 victory over the Dutchman on night three of the Premier League and credits that win with revitalizing his game. Speaking at the UK Open, he explained that defeating Van Gerwen, whom he considers the greatest player of all time, injected him with a fresh surge of confidence. He doubled down, stating that in his view, neither Littler nor Humphries will ever belong in the same elite category as “Mighty Mike.”
“It’s amazing to beat Michael,” Aspinall said. “He’s the guy, like I said last night. I don’t see the other two as Van Gerwen to me. Van Gerwen is the GOAT, in my opinion. He always will be. When I beat him the other week, I gained a lot of confidence from it.”
“I think you’ve seen the way I’m playing the game,” he continued. “I’m playing with a lot more freedom. I’ve got a smile on my face, got the bounce back, got the buzz in. I’m just enjoying the game. One result can turn things around, and fingers crossed that’s what happened the other week with Michael.”
Van Gerwen boasts three world titles across his illustrious career, though his most recent triumph came in 2019. He reached the final of this year’s world championship but was outclassed by Littler, who delivered a commanding performance to claim the Sid Waddell Trophy for the first time in his young career.
Phil Taylor, widely regarded by most as the greatest player in darts history, amassed 16 world titles before retiring from competitive play in 2018. He made a brief return to the senior circuit in 2022 but stepped away last year due to a nagging hip injury. Since then, he has transitioned into a pundit role for the Modus Super Series, offering his insights on the sport.
Back in 2020, Taylor weighed in on Van Gerwen’s legacy, suggesting that the Dutchman doesn’t even rank as the greatest player from his own country, let alone the world. “I would have loved to play against Michael now,” Taylor remarked. “Don’t get me wrong, he is a fantastic talent, a flamboyant player, and who knows what he could go on to achieve?”
“But the world’s greatest player of all time?” Taylor continued. “He’s not even the greatest player to come out of Holland. Barney [Raymond van Barneveld] has still won more world championships than him. And so has Eric [Bristow], God rest his soul.”
