Josh Rock has acknowledged that Luke Littler remains the player to beat in this year's Premier League Darts despite the teenage world champion's slow start to the competition. Littler's recent form has been impressive, with the Warrington ace averaging over 108 and hitting seven 180s on his way to victory at the Polish Darts Open. The triumph came against a strong field including Ross Smith, Rock himself, and Chris Dobey.

Rock, who is making his Premier League debut, has struggled in the opening weeks, suffering three consecutive 6-2 defeats to Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, and Jonny Clayton. Despite sitting outside the top four in the standings, the Northern Ireland star believes Littler's status as world No 1 and reigning world champion makes him the benchmark for the competition. The Polish Open victory, a ranking tournament, demonstrated Littler's ability to perform under pressure.

As Premier League Night Four approaches in Belfast, Rock will face fellow debutant Gian van Veen in the quarter-finals, while Littler takes on Clayton. Rock, who won the World Cup of Darts for Northern Ireland last year, remains philosophical about his early setbacks, noting that his opponents have simply been playing at a higher level. The SSE Arena in Belfast promises an electric atmosphere as the Premier League returns to Northern Ireland.