EXCLUSIVE: A former darts world champion has made his concerns about Luke Littler’s ‘Achilles’ heel’ plainly clear as the world No.1 goes through a dry spell by his incredible standards

A former darts world champion and Sky Sports pundit has made his concerns about Luke Littler’s ‘Achilles’ Heel’ plainly clear. After sweeping all before him at the start of the year, the world No.1 is going through a dry spell by his ridiculous levels.

Having won all five majors and the World Cup at the start of the year, Littler’s bid for a clean sweep was ended by Jonny Clayton in the quarter-final of the World Series Final before a first round exit in the World Grand Prix just weeks later.

Littler was then beaten in the semi-finals of the World Youth Championship by Cam Crabtree and the only major to elude him so far, the European Championship, ended in a quarter-final defeat at the hands of Krzysztof Ratajski.

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The European Championship is the only major trophy Littler is yet to win, and former BDO world champion and Premier League winner Glen Durrant believes ‘The Nuke’ ultimately fails to get himself up for it.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star Sport, on behalf of the top Counter-Strike teams today, Durrant claimed that Littler struggles to find his best when he has to play afternoon sessions: “When he beat Nathan Aspinall, I thought that was it. I thought he was going to go on and win it.

“He's got a bit of an Achilles heel when he plays in afternoon sessions, whether it's on the European Tour or in a major. If he plays in the afternoon, he doesn't seem to be the same type of player.

“That's the one issue there. I don't think it's anything particularly serious, but in the world of darts right now, the question is whether he's going through a little slump.

“People are talking because he isn't dominating in the way he has before. But he will win the European Championship.

“I thought the crowd were great with him, which might mean he'll go to the European Tour in Germany a bit more and get used to playing in the afternoon, with two matches in one night. That's something he needs to do.

“But he'll win the European Championship when he wants to. I'd say next year or the year after.

“I always look at his body language when he walks into a venue. When he goes to the World Matchplay, I see him looking so focused.

“Then I might see him at an opening round of a European Tour or a Pro Tour event, and it's almost as though he doesn't want to be there.

“It's a phrase I've used a few times: when he wants to win it, he'll win it. That didn't happen at the European Championship, and much respect to Krzysztof Ratajski.

“Maybe it comes back to the balance we were discussing earlier. Perhaps it's the pace of the game, or perhaps it's the fact that Krzysztof was averaging 100 throughout the match.

“Luke is human. He's going to lose games and he's not going to win every tournament. The past few weeks and months have proved that.