"If I'm honest, I didn't think Michael would win that final" - Wayne Mardle stunned by van Gerwen's victory over Luke Littler on Night 11 of Premier League Darts

Michael van Gerwen has won Night 11 of the 2024 Premier League Darts campaign, much to the surprise of Sky Sports expert, Wayne Mardle.

Van Gerwen triumphed 6-3 against Luke Littler in the final in Birmingham. For Van Gerwen, it was his fourth weekly title this year in this Premier League Darts season, but only his first since Night 4.

"If I'm honest, I didn't think Michael would win that final," said Mardle, himself a former Premier League Darts participant, reflecting on stage with Emma Paton. "But who could have foreseen Luke Littler playing that poorly?"

"For Michael van Gerwen it's been a real hard graft all night. But, he gets number four won and what an achievement," Mardle continues. "I think what'll give him belief is that, we all have this perception that players seldom play poorly. But they do and he's kind of had a night where he's not been on it but he's played well at the exact right moments."

Van Gerwen was only close to the 100 average in his first match against Nathan Aspinall, in his other two matches he stayed far below that. "He's managed to get over the line and to know that your opponents aren't always playing well is a bit of reality check," 'Hawaii 501' concludes. "It's about when you hit and Michael van Gerwen tonight hit when he had to hit it."