The report says Springer stayed with Littler through the middle stages, leaving the contest level at 5-5. A 114 checkout to restore parity proved pivotal before Littler produced his strongest darts of the night.
Across the final six legs, he reportedly averaged more than 123, a sharp rise that helped him pull clear. That late acceleration was the clearest sign of Littler’s quality: the match remained competitive until he found another level, then converted control into victory.
The account also says Littler felt his finishing could have been cleaner. That leaves an obvious area for improvement as the tournament becomes more demanding.
The post-match discussion then moved to England’s reported World Cup semi-final against Argentina. Littler criticised the team’s decision to retreat after Anthony Gordon had put England 1-0 ahead, arguing that the deeper defensive approach created more room for Lionel Messi.
His managerial claim was presented as a joke, but the football point was direct. Protecting a narrow lead can invite pressure, particularly when an opponent has a player capable of exploiting even small pockets of space.
Littler’s comments also showed how quickly his profile has expanded beyond darts. A strong performance on the oche now brings questions about football, leadership and England’s biggest sporting moments.
The report says Littler’s next World Matchplay opponent will be Nathan Aspinall on Tuesday. His scoring power has already carried him through a difficult opening round, but cleaner doubles could decide whether this title defence develops into another deep run.
The next test will be whether Littler can produce that late-match surge earlier, avoiding another prolonged battle before his finishing takes over.