"Sign to the rest of the players that are scared of him to face it": Luke Littler is 'not unstoppable' says Michael van Gerwen

Michael van Gerwen toppled Luke Littler in a 10-6 win in which the Green Machine defied pre-match odds and a lot of the eyes being on 'The Nuke' on his World Matchplay debut.

Often one for proving people wrong, Van Gerwen said afterwards that it is up to players to stop being scared of him and bring their best instead of being overawed by the talk around him and the big following he has.

Follow the 2024 World Matchplay via our LIVE SCORE!

"We all know I'm not in massive form and we all know this was going to be a tough one for me. To actually do it gets a lot of joy and you know when I feel how much love I've got for the game. That was a tough one but to win does a lot to me," said Van Gerwen post match.

"It's been a tough last six months but I'm not playing superbly bad. Tonight I think I did the right thing for myself, the focus was there, the will to win was there. The total package was complete tonight. I think I was by far the better player in the game."

But it isn't the most satisfying win for him albeit in the view of MVG, he saw the stories that surrounded Littler and the tie as motivation to keep fighting.

"I've got a few more on my list don't worry about that, that's how darts works. To win against guys in form is always nice. There was a lot of stories about this game and how I wasn't the favourite, how I've been having a tough last six months. To win games like this does something for me of course. I honestly only see it in a positive way that I still like what I do, it's still does something to me. If it doesn't do something to me anymore, it's time to retire but I'm not in that position yet and I'm not for the next five, six, seven to 10 years. I'm going to keep annoying them."

He also joked that experience counted for nothing and that he is better but that it shows a lesson that the bookmakers and those previewing tournaments shouldn't be writing him off just yet.

"To say I'm back now is a big statement but I'm on a good path. Don't worry about me, I know what I'm capable of.

"I don't think it's experience, it's also ability to be fair.

"That's why the bookies are not clever. I put pressure enough on myself. I always demand a high standard of myself. I don't need anyone else to tell me what I did well. Here the beast has to come out, you have to perform.

"We can see he's not unstoppable. This is a sign to the rest of the players that are scared of him to face it and to play your own game instead of his game. We know he's big, got a big following and did good for the sport but you have to keep fighting."