Arsenal go six points clear and Wolves end run
Premier League leaders Arsenal were the big winners from Saturday’s action as a hard-fought 3-2 win over Bournemouth extended their cushion at the top.
Defender Gabriel Magalhaes’s early error cost the Gunners a goal but he himself equalised six minutes later before Declan Rice’s first league double helped the Gunners go six points clear.
Earlier, the bottom four all played, starting at Villa Park with Nottingham Forest, on whom Aston Villa piled more misery on while reigniting their title charge.
Ollie Watkins scored his fourth goal in three games before a John McGinn double secured the points for Villa with a 3-1 victory. Unai Emery’s side moved above Manchester City into second at least temporarily, with City playing Chelsea on Sunday.
That should have allowed West Ham to close the gap to safety with a visit to bottom club Wolves, but instead goals from first-half goals from Jhon Arias, Hwang Hee-chan and Mateus Mane put the game well beyond the Hammers.
Their first league win of the season ensures Wolves are no longer in danger of breaking Derby County’s record of 32 top-flight games without a victory.
Rob Edwards’ men remain rooted to the bottom of the table however.
But they did take a chunk out of the gap to 19th-placed Burnley, who extended their own winless run to 11 games in the league, beaten 2-0 by Brighton at the Amex Stadium. The Seagulls had been six games without a win but a first-half goal from Georginio Rutter and a fortuitous Yasin Ayari strike moved them up to eighth place.
Elsewhere, Celtic lost 3-1 at home to Rangers in the Old Firm derby, sparking protests outside Celtic Park, while Chelsea could announce Liam Rosenior as their new head coach this weekend with the Strasbourg boss the leading contender for that vacancy.
In the Premiership, Bath briefly went top with a dramatic win over Exeter Chiefs, who fought back from 26-0 down only to lose, before Northampton Saints racked up 10 tries at Franklin’s Gardens against an increasingly sorry Harlequins.
And Saturday’s sporting action was quickly wrapped up by Luke Littler, who became only the fourth man ever to defend the World Darts Championship. In front of a raucous Alexandra Palace crowd who have not always been on his side, Littler thrashed Gian van Veen 7-1 in the most one-sided final for 17 years to claim his second world title and a cheque for £1m, the sport’s biggest ever prize.
That’s it from us
Luke Littler is posing for photos and planning celebrations that will no doubt last long into the night – and the morning.
Speaking of which, the 5th Ashes Test kicks off at 11.30pm. Our cricket correspondent Chris Stocks is down in Sydney covering it. Check back in the morning for his daily updates – or sign up for his Ashes Dispatch newsletter to get it in your inbox every morning.
And here’s a reminder of what happened in the Premier League earlier today, as Arsenal went six points clear at the top.
- Aston Villa 3-1 Nottingham Forest
- Wolves 3-0 West Ham
- Brighton 2-0 Burnley
- Bournemouth 2-3 Arsenal
A changing of the guard?
This was the youngest PDC final ever with a combined age of just 41 between the two players, and it looks like the new generation are here to stay.
Littler and Van Zeen are now ranked No 1 and No 3 in the world.
“We’re always gonna have battles,” says Littler.
“2027, me and Gian might come back here in the final, you never know. We’re going to play so many times. He knows he’s in the Premier League so we’ll be battling week in, week out.”
Van Zeen adds: “This game is for the young players now. We’re here to show how it’s done.”
Littler is the double world champion!
Luke Littler bangs in a 147 checkout that was *never* in doubt to seal a second world title at the age of just 18!
He is presented with the trophy by cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy, as part of the tournament’s association with Prostate Cancer UK, and is clearly emotional to have defended his title, only the fourth person ever to do it.
“The first time was so nice, I had to do it twice,” Littler jokes, quoting Anthony Joshua.
Into Devon Loch territory…
Van Veen 1-6 Littler (first to seven sets)
GVV would need a miracle from here. He does get two-thirds of the way to a nine-darter – wouldn’t that be special? – but then hits treble five and then loses the leg. Littler is now one set away.
Could be a very early finish for a sell-out Ally Pally crowd, although most of them don’t seem to disheartened…
Blood on the board
Van Veen 1-5 Littler (first to seven sets)
Another brief delay here because they are going to change the board. GVV seems to have cut his hand somehow – he has banged it on the table a couple of times – and smeared a bit of blood on the board. Littler didn’t seem bothered though, as he still won that sixth set 3-0.
Van Veen says he is not injured, but he has lost six legs, and 13 of the last 14, on the bounce.
Littler in complete control
Van Veen 1-4 Littler (first to seven sets)
Wasp or no wasp, Littler is playing lights-out darts here, averaging more than 107.
GVV isn’t playing badly – he is still in three figures – but he is just a dart behind at the moment, and Littler has that look in his eye. The Warringtonian is more than halfway there.
Wasp alert!
That’s Michael off for the night – super shift, mate – so it’s me and you to the bitter end of the darts.
And there is a bit of a delay to the final because there is a wasp on stage, and it appears to be a Gian van Veen fan… as it’s all over Luke Littler.
Littler takes 3-1 lead in world darts final
Van Veen 1-3 Littler (first to seven sets)
Blink and suddenly Littler is 3-1 up.
Van Veen rattled the cage, as he had to, but Littler has roared back in style.
This final is now Littler’s to lose – a 3-0 set emphatically telling Van Veen you’ve got some work to do, pal.
Littler reels in Big Fish to lead world darts final
Van Veen 1-2 Littler (first to seven sets)
Here fishy, fishy!
Littler looks like he means business now! He stares the board down after breaking Van Veen with a D12 and some of those throws have extra oomph right now.
A test for Van Veen, as Littler appears to have found his stride, taking a 2-1 lead in sets when closing out this set with a mighty Big Fish – the 170 checkout that the fans just simply LOVE.
Littler fights back to level world darts final
Van Veen 1-1 Littler (first to seven sets)
A 145 and then 127 checkout makes it four legs on the bounce for Van Veen and Littler does not look happy!
The crowd are as silent as they’ll be all night, too, in a state of disbelief as Littler looks to reel back Van Veen in this set.
Littler makes D8 to trail 2-1, Van Veen has the darts in this fourth leg, but would you look at that, after five perfect darts Littler is on the charge and breaks back! Van Veen missed one D8 for the set there…
Another deciding leg… Littler starts with 180, he has the throw, and he closes it out with a 116 to level this final early on. Phwoar!
First blood Van Veen in final
Van Veen 1-0 Littler (first to seven sets)
A break of throw for Littler with a D20 as perfect as you could ask for to make it 2-1 in legs and he has the darts to seal the first set.
Van Veen puts Littler under pressure though and has the first chance to finish. He misses the bull but after D5 evades Littler, it’s a break back for Van Veen thanks to a D8.
Huge final leg to this opening set… Van Veen misses the Big Fish to seal it but gets to come back to D8… but he can’t get that either!
Littler misses three doubles! One on D20, two on D10 and Van Veen comes back to mop up! Wow. Drama already.
Van Veen makes nerveless start
Final nerves for Van Veen? Hardly. After a couple of 140s a 12-darter seals the opening leg for the Dutchman, who won the throw.
Littler responds to take the next leg, and we have ourselves a final!
Time for the first £1m world final
It was £500k for the winner last year but the sport’s ever-rising popularity means it’s an unprecedented £1m for tonight’s winner.
That’ll do nicely for Littler, who thanked fans for contributing towards his prize money in an awkward interview earlier this week.
But we must remember his age, and there’s no doubt I’d have handled boos on a stage like that far worse than a few shrugs at 18.
Back to the darts and in Van Veen it’s an opponent Littler holds a 3-3 record against, so this one is no guarantee. Time for the walk-ons…
Ally Pally already rocking for darts final
The Ally Pally crowd are going through the full repertoire already. With such hits as Yaya/Kolo Toure, Don’t Take Me Home, and who could forget, Boring Boring Tables.
Oh, and there’s a huge final on the way very, very soon, with Littler out to become the first player to defend the world title since Gary Anderson went back to back in 2015-16.
The walk-outs should be 8.15pm.
Saints go back top of the Premiership
Just to update you on the rugby, Northampton Saints have romped back to the top of the Premiership with a 66-21 win over Harlequins.
Saints racked up 10 tries at Franklin’s Gardens, where Quins’s nightmare season continues.
Our rugby correspondent Hugh Godwin has spent the week diving deep into Harlequins and what has gone wrong at the club. Read all about it here.
Celtic fans demand change after ‘pathetic collapse’ against Rangers
No holding back from the Celtic fans, with one group, Celtic Fans Collective, calling for the removal of manager Wilfried Nancy but insisting that is only “part of the solution”.
The group have condemned the “pathetic collapse” against Old Firm rivals Rangers, with Celtic losing 3-1 at home despite taking the lead.
There were protests outside the ground after the match, and the fallout will only rumble on as Celtic fans demand change above Nancy.
Arsenal hold on to go six points clear
Bournemouth 2-3 Arsenal
Bournemouth’s players, fans and coaching staff are not happy with the timing of the full-time whistle.
The Cherries had a throw-in which was then headed back to Semenyo, but just before he sent in the cross, the whistle went…
Arsenal and Mikel Arteta couldn’t care a jot. They have been tested on the south coast but come away with three points to go six above second-placed Aston Villa.
An hour until the world darts final
Luke Littler is out to defend his World Darts Championship title this evening against Gian van Veen.
Get used to this match-up, it could replace the Luke vs Luke showdowns and become the rivalry in darts for years to come.
And tonight promises to be a cracker. The final starts at 8.15pm and we’ll keep you informed throughout!
Goal! Bournemouth get one back thanks to stunner
This one isn’t over yet! It’s a fine team move and Arsenal are left chasing shadows before Eli Junior Kroupi fires in an incredible effort from 20 yards out beyond the reach of Raya.
Game on – 15 minutes plus stoppages to go…
Goal! Rice at the double for Arsenal
Bournemouth 1-3 Arsenal
What a luxury it is to have a player like Declan Rice popping up on the edge of the area all Lampard-esque.
I wrote that… and while typing he’s just scored his second!
Saka’s brilliant run is followed by an inch-perfect cut-back for Rice, who makes no mistake from 12 yards out. Arsenal fans celebrate, and England fans would give anything to see that combination pay off this summer too.