Luke Littler told off for taunting Michael van Gerwen as rivalry set to take new turn

Phil Taylor has issued a warning to Luke Littler, advising him to cease his taunting of Michael van Gerwen if he hopes to win the Power's namesake trophy at the Betfred World Matchplay.

Luke the Nuke is set for an exciting first-round match against Clog Almighty at Blackpool's Winter Gardens on Monday, marking the most significant Anglo-Dutch sporting clash since Wednesday night.

At just 17, Littler could increase his prize money to nearly £1 million in only seven months on the Professional Darts Corporation circuit if he secures the £200,000 winner's prize on the Golden Mile.

However, 16-times world champion Taylor, who also won the World Matchplay 16 times, is concerned that the young prodigy's mind games with Van Gerwen could backfire.

Taylor is tipping world No. 1 Luke Humphries to lift the Phil Taylor Trophy next weekend "because he's won everything else."

In a bold social media post, Littler listed the venues where he's previously defeated Van Gerwen, adding a check-mark emoji after each one.

He then added a sand timer emoji next to Winter Gardens, telling fans: "Get your popcorn ready, it's going to be sick."

But Taylor, a big fan of Littler's youthful audacity on the oche, fears the teenager's impudence could backfire on him.

He said: "I'd love to see Luke do well, and his first round game with Michael is worthy of the final.

"But young Luke is winding him up on social media about all the places where he's beaten Van Gerwen in the past - and that might make him angry.

"If I was in Luke's shoes, I would keep quiet and let him think about it, let him do the worrying.

"With Michael, if you poke the bear he might get angry. Michael has won the World Matchplay three times already, and there's no doubt there are players who want to bring Luke down a peg or two.

"Rivalry is great for darts because it sells tickets and it makes viewers tune in on Sky, like people wanted to watch Benn and Eubank fight, but the kid has got to be careful.

"Don't get carried away, go up there and do your job, take home the prize money, pay the taxman his share and enjoy it."

Taylor, 64 next month, is recovering from a hip replacement operation last month, admitted: "Who do I fancy to win it? I can't look too far past Luke Humphries - he's won everything else, hasn't he?

"And he's just won the World Cup for England with Michael Smith. I'm so pleased for them because we hadn't won it since Aidy Lewis and me back in the day.

"I'm not saying Luke carried him, but Michael got himself a good partner there!"