Luke Littler caught up in bizarre darts rant as elite rival breaks golden rule to GUARANTEE a slump is coming

Outspoken James Wade has warned Luke Littler he cannot avoid a dip in form as he weighed in on his fears about the teenage superstar.

Wade – in an unfiltered interview during the World Matchplay – admits he subscribes to the theory The Nuke will either dominate for a short burst or will be able to stretch it to a decade. But Wade is certain a fall is coming for the 17-year-old who exited the Blackpool showpiece after coming up short against Michael van Gerwen. Wade has also strangely claimed Littler's earning means he doesn't even have to pick up the arrows anymore.

Speaking to SportsBoom, Wade said: "I heard Glenn Durrant say he’ll [Luke Littler] either dominate for only two years or over 10. I’m not sure which one it’ll be, but I do actually agree with that. Let's be honest, Luke's probably earned more money than most dart players, if not all dart players, in a year of his existence. So, he doesn’t need to play darts now. He's influential and financially viable and a great pull. But I'm interested in seeing what he's doing. He will have a downturn and that's a hundred percent it'll happen."

Wade's verdict about the teenager goes against what Gary Anderson asked for when he urged the media and fellow pundits to take it easy on the rising star. The Flying Scotsman highlighted the struggles of Josh Rock since the Northern Irishman broke through as a teenager.

He added: "He [Luke Littler] will struggle, and he will find things hard and then we'll see what he's really about. I hope everyone gets behind him a little bit and doesn't slate him. When that does happen, it will happen."