The M and S Bank Arena is braced for a Merseyside roar as Night Twelve arrives and Luke Littler prepares for a homecoming of sorts. The Warrington wonderkid grew up just down the motorway and travels with a chance to secure mathematical confirmation of a play off berth in front of family friends and a partisan northwest fan base.

The bracket however offers no gifts. Littler opens against Michael van Gerwen who staged a vintage comeback from four nil down to beat him in Rotterdam. Victory could tee up a semi final with Luke Humphries provided Cool Hand negotiates a tricky opener against Nathan Aspinall.

The bottom half of the draw pairs Gerwyn Price with Chris Dobey while Rob Cross meets Stephen Bunting in an all English tussle. Price is riding high after Birmingham glory and now boasts the highest running average of the field at one hundred point four.

Liverpool crowds are renowned for football style singing and organisers have secured The Lightning Seeds for a pre show set that will include a darts themed rewrite of Three Lions. Merchandise stalls expect Littler jerseys to outsell all others combined as local pride swells.

Six more maximums would see Littler break the one hundred and nineteen record he set last season and bookmakers make him odds on to achieve the feat on home soil. If the teenager channels the Kop like energy roaring behind him he may notch yet another chapter in his remarkable rise.