Luke Littler has issued a firm response to Michael van Gerwen by insisting he is now a 'big boy' in darts.
The teenager is preparing for his Premier League debut and has told his rivals that he doesn't need any advice from them.
Littler will play Luke Humphries on the opening night of the competition in Cardiff this evening, a repeat of the World Darts Championship final.
The pair have already met since Alexandra Palace, with the 17-year-old coming out on top at the Dutch Darts Masters.
Luke Littler has hit back at Michael van Gerwen ahead of the Premier League
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How Littler will cope with a 17-week long competition remains to be seen and some believe he could suffer from burnout.
Three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen has already played Littler twice, losing in the Bahrain Masters before toppling him in Den Bosch last Saturday.
The Dutchman has paid tribute to the youngsters' start in darts but insists he must now continue that on the biggest stage.
Van Gerwen said: "He’s had a fabulous last two months – but it’s only two months, yeah? He needs to do it for a very long time.
"He's got everything to be a top 10 player in the next 20 years, but you still have to do it. He is still young."
Van Gerwen then admitted he doesn't feel a duty to be protective of Littler, responding: "Really? Of course not. Welcome to the big boys. He is not a youth player anymore. Those days are gone.
"Of course, he’s still only a kid, but now you have got to battle against each other on the stage and there cannot be any mercy whatsoever.
"It’s not hard at the moment because he doesn’t have any scars. Whatever he does, being a runner-up is good, winning is good.
"Whatever he does, whatever he says, everybody loves everything about him. But during a game, if he looks at his watch and says, ‘How can I miss again?’, in five years’ time they will boo you. That’s the way darts works now.
"At the beginning everything goes well, but then everything gets normal.
"Guys like him only get born once in so many years and he’s a special talent, of course, but he still has to do it every year. He is with the big guys now."
But Littler has now issued a reply of his own, by claiming he is already one of the sport's star players.
He told Sportsboom: "Surely, I'm one of the big boys now."
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Luke Littler begins his Premier League darts campaign on Thursday
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Littler then insisted that he doesn't need any words of wisdom from his rivals.
He added: "I don't really want any advice off any of these players.
"I know they've been here and done it, but I'm only interested in myself."
Littler has largely kept himself to himself backstage during the early parts of his professional career.
Luke Littler insists he is one of darts' big boys ahead of the Premier League
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And that is set to continue during the Premier League.
He said: "When I'm in the venue, I just keep myself to myself and do my practice routines.
"I don't need to interact with any of the players."
