Luke Littler lost to Cam Crabtree in the semi-finals of the World Youth Championship.

Crabtree beat Littler 6-5 and will meet Jan Schmidt in the final at Minehead.

Littler came back from 2-0 to level the game, but Crabtree ultimately overhauled him.

Littler was playing for the first time since his shock defeat to Luke Woodhouse in the opening stage of the World Grand Prix.

He was flawless in the group stage at the World Youth Championship, taking three wins. He then saw off Lewis Cook, but at one point Cook, only 16 years old himself, went 3-0 ahead only for Littler to stage a comeback.

Littler then beat David Fidler 6-1 and reached the quarter-finals after defeating Archie Self 6-4.

Littler took a 6-2 victory over Harrison Leigh to win through to the final four but then came unstuck against the 23-year-old Crabtree.

This tournament is open to players aged 16-24 and offers £60,000 in prize money.

Earlier this year Littler looked like he would steamroll all before him, but his bid for a clean sweep of all major PDC titles in 2026 ended in Amsterdam where the Briton complained about being repeatedly whistled at by Dutch supporters.

A dip in form has then been compounded by unexpected defeats at the World Grand Prix and now the World Youth Championship.

Mardle: Littler’s underperforming

Sky Sports commentator Wayne Mardle questioned why Littler entered the World Youth Championship. “I don’t know what he wants to gain from it,” he said. “It doesn’t make any sense to me.

“I just don’t see the value time-wise. Because time-management’s everything when you’re playing a lot.”

Littler’s exit from the World Grand Prix could be cause for concern. “I’m never concerned with people losing because this is a hard industry to keep winning. The fact that he was winning all those matches on the trot in majors anyway was ridiculous,” Mardle said.

“It was the way he’s been losing. He’s not been playing that well. This is no offence and no disrespect to Luke Woodhouse. Luke Woodhouse actually said himself that it was a scrappy game.

“It’s the fact that Luke Littler didn’t play well,” Mardle added. “I just think he’s underperforming right now, for whatever reason.

“Bearing in mind we’re humans, we’re not robots, we’re not automatons, we do have off days as well. He’s just having a couple of off days right now.”

What’s next?

The European Tour season continues with the Swiss Darts Trophy (October 9-11) and the Dutch Darts Championship (October 16-18) before the European Championship takes place in Dortmund, Germany from October 22-25.

Sky Sports remains the home of darts with the Grand Slam of Darts (November 14-22) and World Darts Championship (December 10-January 3) both live. Stream darts and more through NOW with no contract.

Andoni Iraola has made an unbeaten start as Liverpool boss – but will he get lift-off at Anfield in the huge clash with Manchester City on Sunday?

The impact of the new Reds boss is assessed in the latest Sky Sports Premier League podcast.

Peter Smith is joined by reporters Vinny O’Connor and Mark McAdam, and writer Dan Morgan to pick over the standout tactical ideas Iraola has brought to Liverpool so far and weigh up the impact of summer signings on the balance of the squad.

They also preview the hotly-anticipated showdown with City, which could prove to be a decisive moment at the start of Iraola’s reign…

‘Iraola is happy to make big decisions’

Sky Sports News’ Vinny O’Connor:

“What I’ve seen from Andoni Iraola is that he’s happy to make big decisions – and it was a big decision to leave out Jeremie Frimpong and bring in Ronald Araujo at right-back and it’s worked. Liverpool needed to be more solid; they’ve done that

“Leaving Ryan Gravenberch out, for instance, as well. Iraola has taken that decision. When he’s decided to use the youngsters – Lewis Koumas, playing him up front; when he’s brought in Trey Nyoni. It seems he’s given the trust to the youngsters and that’s a real big plus.

“It’s not all been perfect but we’re gradually beginning to see Iraola’s influence with the press. Teams aren’t able to settle on the ball as much as they would like to against Liverpool, they’re not allowing teams as many passes.

“Yes, at times they’ve still been caught on the break and that’s an area for improvement and I think he’s still trying to strive for that ideal balance in midfield.

Sunday 11th October 4:00pm


Kick off 4:30pm

“But with those three clean sheets in the Premier League in the last three games we’re seeing a team that defends the box a lot better, and when they’ve got the ball, they’re getting the ball forward quicker and creating chances, which bodes well for the future.

“We’re seeing the signs that it’s going to get that little bit more exciting and I don’t think we’re too far away from seeing more regular high octane football under him.”

‘Atletico Madrid win showed Iraola can beat big hitters’

Sky Sports News’ Mark McAdam:

“The key thing is they’re unbeaten. When you go into a new football club, don’t lose games! But that big win in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid is a massive plus because not only does that show that they can win games but they can do it against the big teams, the big hitters, those sides that are going to challenge them.

“I’ve been really impressed so far. There’s been a transition period and the key thing that Andoni will need – and what he had at Bournemouth – was time. Time on the training pitch, time to work with the players, time to understand the players.

“It certainly feels like he’s very conscious that you need to be defensively solid and you need to have more of the ball [at Liverpool].

“But I said in the summer, if I could have a season ticket to follow Liverpool around for the first six months of Andoni Iraola’s term I would absolutely do it because when he is at it and at his very best there’s no question it will be one of the most exciting brands of football that Liverpool fans have seen for some time.

“I know they’ll go ‘well, Jurgen Klopp was the manager not that long ago!’ But it will hopefully be something that is very similar to that style of football.”

Lift-off on Sunday?

Liverpool podcaster and writer Dan Morgan:

“In general, I’d say quietly impressive. He surprised me in the sense that I thought idealistically, in terms of how his Bournemouth teams played, I thought his philosophy was going to be something that he was going to be wedded to unconditionally. You play his way, it’s relentless, real high-octane energy stuff.

“But he’s done things that I think other Liverpool managers in the past would have done. For example, Rafa Benitez would have maybe seen the need to use a centre-back at right back just to shore up Liverpool’s issues defensively, especially around set-pieces. Iraola has done that with Ronaldo Araujo. Similarly, Jurgen Klopp would have looked at someone like Lewis Koumas and said, ‘I can do something with this young player, he’s sticking around’.

“I think that speaks to him recognising the size of the job. He was aware that he can’t go 10 games without a win in his first 10 Liverpool games – that would just bring on too much pressure and too much noise – so he’s found a way to quietly get results.

“But from a Liverpool supporter, I think there is still that anticipation of, ‘OK, when is the big moment going to arrive?’ And there’s a big opportunity on Sunday…”

Watch Liverpool vs Man City live on Sky Sports on Sunday from 4pm; kick-off 4.30pm.