Premier League Darts 2026: Clayton’s Gout-Fuelled Victory in Nottingham and Humphries’ Relief Against Littler

Sometimes this sport writes scripts you just couldn't make up. The Premier League Darts 2026 rolled into Nottingham for night six, and the 10,000 fans packed into the Motorpoint Arena witnessed pure tungsten madness. While one player could barely walk in a straight line, he celebrated the night's biggest triumph. And the reigning world champ had to first conquer his biggest rival before finally breaking a long-awaited curse.

The Hobbling Hero: Jonny Clayton's Gout Gamble

Imagine having to compete at the highest level against the world's best darts players, but every step you take to the oche feels like you're walking on hot coals. That was Jonny Clayton's reality this Thursday night. The Welshman, nicknamed "The Ferret," was suffering from a severe gout flare-up in his ankle. As he hobbled onto the stage, everyone thought his night was done. But Clayton once again proved his iron will.

"I had no expectations at all coming into tonight," Clayton freely admitted after his triumph. "I've got gout, in my ankles, and tonight was a bit tricky with the way I was walking. My arm felt alright, by the looks of it, and that's the main thing." And what an arm it was! Despite the pain, which got worse the longer he sat on his chair with his foot still, the 51-year-old delivered one clinical performance after another.

In the quarter-finals, he first dismantled Dutchman Michael van Gerwen 6-3. In the semis, he followed it up with another 6-3 victory over the in-form Stephen Bunting. Then, in the final, he took on a walking wall named Luke Humphries and swept him aside 6-1. With an impressive 67% checkout success rate, he left the world number two with no chance – all while in agonising pain.

With this win, Clayton not only became the first player in Premier League Darts 2026 to claim a second nightly win (following his triumph in Glasgow) but also extended his lead at the top of the table to an incredible eight points.

Humphries Breaks the Littler Hoodoo – Then Falls to Clayton

While Clayton shrugged off the pain, Luke Humphies was on an emotional rollercoaster. "Cool Hand Luke" hadn't beaten the young sensation Luke Littler in a competitive match for nearly a year – specifically, since May 2025. Five straight losses to the teenager were on the record. That was until this semi-final showdown in Nottingham.

In a high-quality match where Humphries averaged 108 at one point, he battled through against a defiant Littler. When he led 5-2 and had match darts in hand, the old pattern threatened to return. Littler fought back to 5-4, the arena erupting. But Humphries stayed ice-cool. A breathtaking 128 checkout sealed the deal in the deciding leg, and his fist-pump towards the crowd said it all – relief written all over his face.

"It's massive, especially here in Nottingham," beamed Humphries after the 6-5 win. "When the crowd got so loud and he was coming back, I just tried to focus on myself. Copping that 130 checkout from him was tough, but I'm proud of how I came back and nailed that 128 finish." The joy, however, was short-lived. In the final against the hobbling but fearless Clayton, things just didn't click. With only 13% of his doubles finding the mark, Humphries had no answer and went down 6-1. His first final appearance of the season ended in a harsh lesson.

The 'Nuke' Fires, But Doesn't Detonate

Luke Littler arrived in Nottingham as the freshly crowned UK Open champion and winner of the previous week in Cardiff. The 19-year-old world number one was looking to back it up and carry his Premier League Darts momentum. In the quarter-finals, he engaged in a monumental duel with Gerwyn Price. Both players peppered the board with 180s; Price levelled things up with sensational 151 and 152 checkouts, but Littler held his nerve in a nail-biting decider to win 6-5. The fact that he shrugged off a few isolated boos from the crowd, even responding with a celebratory gesture, showed his growing mental maturity.

The semi-final against Humphries was where it ended. Despite a fightback, he had to concede defeat to his compatriot. The chance for back-to-back nightly wins was gone. He now sits second in the table with 11 points, but the gap to Clayton is already a hefty eight points.

The Ladder and What's Next

While the top of the table is starting to take shape, it's getting seriously tough at the other end. Josh Rock, the exceptional Northern Irish talent making his Premier League debut this season, is still searching for his first point. He copped a 6-1 hiding from Stephen Bunting – his sixth loss in six games. It's a rocky start no one saw coming.

The current top 4 on the Premier League Darts 2026 table after six of 16 nights looks like this:

• 1. Jonny Clayton – 19 points
• 2. Luke Littler – 11 points
• 3. Gerwyn Price – 9 points
• 4. Gian van Veen – 9 points

Young Rock's cart is well and truly stuck in the mud. But we all know the saying: in Premier League Darts, anything is possible. Remember, last year Stephen Bunting didn't get his first nightly win until week nine. So, keep your chin up, Josh!

The road trip continues in a week, on March 19th, at the 3Arena in Dublin. Over there, Gian van Veen takes on Michael van Gerwen and Stephen Bunting faces Luke Littler. And then, on March 26th, the tour finally lands at the Uber Arena in Berlin! Can't wait to see the German capital turned upside down.

Until then: Keep on Darts!