Michael van Gerwen warns Luke Littler in bold message - "Then you know"

Michael van Gerwen has sent out a reminder that he remains a force to be reckoned with, stating emphatically: "Even though I'm playing s**t, at this moment I'm number three."

Van Gerwen added on Saturday: "After the worlds, number two. And I'm playing c**p. How good is that? Do you know what I mean? Then you know how good my standard is normally."

The seasoned Dutch darting sensation has had a challenging year by his standards, with tournament victories less frequent than usual. Despite this, 'Mighty Mike' secured some morale-boosting titles including those at Players Championships, European Tour, and World Series of Darts events.

Meanwhile, Luke Humphries and Luke Littler are broadly seen as favourites, having reached the World Darts Championship final earlier in January, and they're expected to be strong contenders for the Grand Slam of Darts this week. However, with Van Gerwen keen not to fade into the background, the competition could heat up if he returns to form in Wolverhampton, where he previously won the tournament three times in a row from 2015-2017.

Van Gerwen, currently ranked third in the world and expected to move to second following the World Championship despite feeling out of form, also shared his perspective on pressure: "I know I always put a lot of pressure on my own shoulders, and everyone else does as well. But that's part of the game. You have to take it and enjoy the ride you're on."

If he overcomes his recent subpar performances, both Littler and Humphries might find him a formidable opponent once more, reports the Express.

Van Gerwen made a commanding start to his Grand Slam of Darts campaign against Noa-Lynn van Leuven. The three-time world champion swept his compatriot 5-0 in Wolverhampton,