Phil Taylor Eyes Luke Littler Showdown as Darts Legend Plots Comeback

Darts fans have spent years debating what would happen if Phil Taylor faced Luke Littler at the peak of their powers. Now, the possibility of seeing two generations of the sport’s biggest names share the stage is becoming an increasingly interesting talking point.

Taylor, widely regarded as the greatest player in darts history, is preparing to return to competitive action at the age of 66. And while his immediate plans involve teaming up with a familiar face, the 16-time world champion has admitted that a potential meeting with Littler would be something special.

Speaking in an extensive interview with Online Darts, Taylor revealed that he would love to face the young sensation if he could rediscover some of the form that made him virtually unbeatable during his extraordinary career.

Phil Taylor prepares for another return to the oche

Taylor’s comeback will begin at the MODUS Super Series International Pairs Tournament in Portsmouth, where he will partner former world champion Adrian Lewis.

The competition runs from November 23 to 28, with the pair representing England. It will be a particularly interesting reunion because Taylor and Lewis enjoyed considerable success together during their playing careers.

Their partnership previously delivered four World Cup of Darts titles, and Taylor has never hidden the affection he has for his former protégé.

The invitation came from MODUS owner Jason Thame, who approached Taylor’s manager, Bob Glenn, about the possibility of bringing the legendary pair together again.

Taylor immediately accepted the challenge, although he admitted that preparing for his return initially made him nervous.

“I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll try my best. I’ll get practising.’ So I’ve been practising. I’m not as good as I used to be, but I’m going to keep practising until the day we play.”

Those nerves are apparently beginning to disappear as the tournament approaches.

“The nerves are beginning to go now. I’m beginning to look forward to it. I was dreading it a month ago, but now I’m looking forward to it.”

For supporters who grew up watching Taylor dominate the biggest tournaments, simply seeing him back on a competitive stage will be a special occasion.

However, he has been careful to manage expectations. This is not an announcement that he intends to return to the professional circuit full-time.

“Just this one tournament, that’s all it is really. It’s only going to be one tournament. I’m not going to be playing on the circuit or anything. I’m too old.”

Taylor admits a meeting with Luke Littler would be massive

Although the partnership with Lewis is the immediate priority, there is another name that keeps coming up whenever Taylor speaks about returning to darts.

That name is Luke Littler.

The current generation’s biggest sensation has transformed the sport with his remarkable scoring ability, confidence and achievements at such a young age.

Taylor has noticed the attention surrounding the teenager, and apparently, fans cannot stop asking him whether he would be capable of beating the young superstar.

The 16-time world champion revealed just how frequently the question follows him around.

“I have it every day. I can’t go around Tesco, Asda or anywhere without people saying, ‘Are you coming back? Are you going to beat that Luke Littler?’ That’s the biggest question: ‘Are you going to beat him? He’s winning too much, Phil. Come on, we need you back.'”

It is difficult to blame supporters for wanting to see that match.

Taylor spent decades establishing himself as the sport’s ultimate winning machine, while Littler has emerged as the player capable of challenging records that once looked almost untouchable.

And Taylor has not completely dismissed the possibility of giving fans the contest they want.

“I’ll be honest with you. I know for a fact that if I can get my form back and Luke and I did play each other, it would be massive, especially if I could get my form back like I used to have. But I’ll try.”

That is arguably the most exciting part of his latest comments.

Taylor understands that his reputation alone would not be enough against someone of Littler’s ability. He would need to rediscover his accuracy, consistency and competitive sharpness.

But the fact that he is even entertaining the idea will undoubtedly generate excitement among darts supporters.

The 16-time world champion is enjoying practice again

Perhaps the biggest development surrounding Taylor’s comeback is that he is beginning to enjoy practising again.

Preparing for the tournament with Lewis has reignited an interest that appeared to have disappeared after his retirement.

He explained that his current practice sessions are carefully managed, with shorter periods of throwing followed by breaks.

“I’ve just been saying to Bob and Nathan – my grandson’s with us – that I’m actually enjoying practising again. It’s ever so weird. I don’t do loads. I do a little spurt, maybe 15 or 20 minutes, have a break, have a cup of coffee or something, and then I’ll do another 15 or 20 minutes. I do about an hour over three or four hours.”

Taylor is also sticking with familiar equipment rather than making unnecessary changes ahead of his return.

His sponsor, Target, has produced new darts for him, but the veteran would prefer to use the equipment that brought him so much success.

Interestingly, he has even mentioned the possibility of entering the UK Open if his form improves sufficiently.

“If I do, and I could win, then I’d probably play a few little things. I’d enter the UK Open and see if I could win that, because you can enter that as an amateur qualifier. That’s what I’d do.”

It is important to remember that this remains conditional. Taylor has not announced plans to enter the tournament.

Nevertheless, it shows that the competitive instinct is still there.

At 66, he knows the physical demands are different, and he has openly acknowledged that his current level is nowhere near what it was during his dominant years.

Taylor believes he could study Littler’s weaknesses

One thing that made Taylor so difficult to beat throughout his career was his ability to analyse opponents.

He was not simply a player who relied on exceptional scoring. He understood the psychological side of competition and regularly found ways to put opponents under pressure.

That is something he believes could be relevant if he ever faced Littler.

Taylor explained that he would study the young star’s game, identify weaknesses and work out how to approach the contest.

“I’ve thrived on people being better than me, you know, to make me a better player. So I would have to work him out. I’d have to study him, practise and learn what his weak points are. They’ve all got weak points.”

He also discussed Littler’s relaxed approach away from the oche, suggesting that the teenager’s tendency to spend time on his phone rather than practising would have affected his own mindset during his playing days.

“Don’t really spend a lot of time with Luke. I mean, the last few nights I’ve been with him, and he’s very quiet. He keeps himself to himself and spends a lot of time on his phone. To me, that would be a weakness.”

It is an interesting insight into the mentality that helped Taylor dominate darts for so long.

However, Littler is unlikely to be concerned about the comments. His performances have already demonstrated that he possesses the temperament and ability to compete against the very best.

Could darts fans finally get the dream matchup?

There is still a significant difference between discussing a possible exhibition and arranging an actual competitive showdown.

Taylor has made it clear that he is not planning a full-time return, and his immediate responsibility is to perform alongside Lewis in Portsmouth.

Nevertheless, his enthusiasm for practising again gives supporters something to watch.

The prospect of Taylor facing Littler would also bring together two players whose careers represent very different eras of darts.

Taylor collected 16 world championship titles and dominated the sport for decades. Littler, meanwhile, has already established himself as one of the most exciting talents the game has produced.

Whether Taylor can recover enough of his old form to make that contest competitive remains uncertain.

But one thing is clear: the legendary Englishman has not completely lost his appetite for a challenge.

For now, fans will have to wait for his November return before dreaming too seriously about a showdown with Littler.

Would you back Phil Taylor to give Luke Littler a serious challenge if they finally met on the oche? Or has the game moved beyond even The Power?