Nathan Aspinall has risked upsetting Luke Littler and Luke Humphries by insisting they will never be on the same level as Michael van Gerwen. All four players are involved in this year’s Premier League, with Humphries in top spot after the opening four rounds. Littler is just behind in second place, while Van Gerwen occupies the final playoff spot.
Aspinall, who is one position behind Van Gerwen in fifth place, secured a 6-3 win over the Dutchman on night three and believes the victory has helped to rejuvenate his form. Speaking at the UK Open, he said it gave him a new wave of confidence because he believes Van Gerwen is the greatest player of all time. He added that, in his opinion, Littler and Humphries will never be in the same bracket as Mighty Mike.
“It’s amazing to beat Michael,” said Aspinall. “He’s the guy, like I said last night. I don’t see the other two as Van Gerwen to me. Van Gerwen is the GOAT, in my opinion. He always will be. When I beat him the other week I gained a lot of confidence from it.
“I think you’ve seen the way I’m playing the game, I’m playing with a lot more freedom. I’ve got a smile on my face, got the bounce back, got the buzz in. I’m just enjoying the game. One result can turn things around and fingers crossed that’s what happened the other week with Michael.”
Van Gerwen has won three world titles over the course of his career but has not achieved the feat since 2019. He reached the final of this year’s tournament but was beaten by Littler, who put on a dominant display to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy for the very first time.
Phil Taylor is regarded by most people as the greatest player in history, having won 16 world titles before his retirement in 2018. He returned to play on the senior circuit in 2022 but stepped back from the oche last year due to a hip injury. He has since taken up a new role as a pundit for the Modus Super Series.
In the past, Taylor has suggested that Van Gerwen is not even the greatest player to come from the Netherlands, let alone the greatest to ever pick up a set of darts.
Speaking in 2020, he said: “I would have loved to play against Michael now. Don’t get me wrong, he is a fantastic talent, a flamboyant player, and who knows what he could go on to achieve?
“But the world’s greatest player of all time? He’s not even the greatest player to come out of Holland. Barney [Raymond van Barneveld] has still won more world championships than him. And so has Eric [Bristow], God rest his soul.”
