World Darts Championship: Live score and updates as 16-year-old Luke Littler is one set from a £100,000 semi-final place after winning first FOUR sets

Littler takes out double top and is just one leg away from the semi-finals.

There is brief concern as he seems to grab his arm but replays show it was just an itch! Fans can breath a sigh of relief.

Has Littler been shaken by losing that fifth set?

Not a bit of it as he nails a 140 checkout to break the throw. Exceptional.

Dolan has had a great tournament and isn’t going down without a fight. A couple of crucial checkouts in that set to keep himself alive.

Littler has a shot at 170 but can’t take it out.

He sets himself up on double top, so Dolan has to take out 118.

He does exactly that, and we go on. A glimmer of hope for the Northern Irishman.

Littler’s level has dropped a little in this set and Dolan can sense that.

He needs 108 for the set but suffers a bounce-out at the worst possible moment.

Littler returns for 32 and finally hits double 8 to win his first leg of the set.

Littler missed six darts at a double in the last leg and he misses another two here to take out 56.

Dolan punishes him by nailing double 16, and he is now one leg away from taking the fifth set.

Dolan starts after the break with six perfect darts, but Littler still gets six darts at a double.

Shockingly, he misses all of them, and Dolan comes back to get a broke of throw. Is there a sting in the tail in this match yet?

We saw Rob Cross come from four sets down to win earlier this afternoon but Dolan is struggling right now and is now showing signs of mounting his own fightback.

This is just too easy for Littler right now. Dolan can’t get near him and he nails another double to move within one set of the semi-finals.

Here’s some photos from earlier in the match… with his plan working perfectly!

Neither player at their best in this leg, but Littler hits 139 to leave himself 60.

He misses double top but hits double 10 to break the throw. He is now throwing for a 4-0 lead.

Littler dominates another leg on throw and nails double 18 to level up the set.

The Ally Pally turn to ‘you’ve got school in the morning’ as the party atmosphere continues.

Littler puts the pressure on Dolan but he takes out 142 to win the first leg of the fourth set. A very impressive checkout from Dolan.

‘One Luke Littler’ is ringing around the Ally Pally right now, and the 16-year-old steps up nonchalantly to land another 180.

He is miles clear as he hits double top at the first time of asking. 3-0 to Littler.

Littler needs to win this leg to stay in the set and starts with a 180 but then has a trebleless visit which Dolan punishes with a 140.

Dolan needs 104 for the set but his final dart at double 16 is just the wrong side of the wire.

Littler steps up for 111 and takes it out with a double 16. That was special, he’s right back in the set. To a deciding leg we go.

Littler hits a 140 but Dolan follows in with a 180 and seems to have woken up after that bull finish.

He leaves himself 32 and hits the double 16 to break the throw. All of a sudden, Dolan is throwing for the set.

Littler fills up the red bit again to bring the crowd to their feet once more. They are loving every second of this.

He leaves himself 48 but misses two darts to take the leg. Dolan steps up to the oche needing 88 and he nails the bull. He’s back in the set!

Quieter leg to start the third set but Dolan is struggling to put Littler under pressure.

A miscount from legendary referee draws some ironic cheers from the crowd but it doesn’t put Littler off as he nails double 10.

After losing the first two legs, Littler has won six on the bounce.

He won his three legs in that second set in 11, 12 and 14 darts.

Dolan just cannot match Littler’s scoring and he is under pressure to take out 120.

He can’t do it as his first dart goes astray, and Littler nails his own finish. He is 2-0 up and flying.

Another 180 from Littler and he hits double 10 for a 12-darter. Fantastic stuff from the youngster.

Three straight treble 19s from Littler and he is growing in confidence now. Dolan fires in a 180 but still finds himself behind in the leg and Littler tidies up 100 with two darts.

Littler is finding his best form.

A first 180 from Littler brings the crowd to its feet as they start singing ‘there’s only one Luke Littler’. This is more like it from the teenage sensation.

He needs 170 and with Dolan well back he asks the crowd whether he should go for the bull after hitting two treble 20s. He doesn’t need much convincing!

He misses the bull but it doesn’t matter as he comes back to win the leg and the set. Littler is up and running!

Dolan starts the leg poorly but then nails a 180 to get on top.

But Littler is right there with him and leaves himself 70 to break back. And he takes it. We’re into a decding leg in this first set.

Wife Georgia looks delighted… and relieved!

A Robin Hood shot from Dolan as his dart gets trapped in another dart, drawing ironic cheers from the crowd.

Better from Littler as he leaves himself 24 and he takes it out at the first time of asking to get his first leg on the board.

Slightly subdued atmosphere as the fans look to recover from that epic Cross comeback.

Littler hasn’t made the lightning start that we’ve seen in his previous matches but Dolan misses two darts at a double to give him a chance.

Littler misses two darts to take the leg himself and Dolan returns to pin double 2.

Dolan hits a 140 to get his nose in front, and he has a shot at 101.

He gets one dart at double 16 and takes it. An early break of throw for Dolan and not the ideal start for Littler.

Dolan has all the experience on his side and he takes his time hugging his family as he makes his way towards the oche.

Littler makes his way to the stage for the biggest match of his life. Can he hold his nerve again on the Ally Pally stage?

What a match we’ve just witnessed, and we are only halfway through this afternoon’s action.

Up next, it’s 16-year-old Luke Littler against Brendan Dolan.

‘Early on credit to Chris, he really did give me a kick in the mouth,’ Cross tells Sky Sports.

‘I still believe even when I am 4-0 down. I’m not going to swear but I’ve got nerves of steel. At one point it didn’t look likely, and now it did!’

Looking ahead to a potential semi-final meeting with Littler, Cross said: ‘If he comes through that (his quarter-final) he’s probably favourite.’

One of the great comebacks from Rob Cross and he is into the last four.

But who will he face? Luke Littler vs Brendan Dolan is up next.

More brilliant darts as Cross leaves himself 170 but he can’t take it out.

Dobey has a go at 71, but his one dart at double top goes high.

Cross comes back for 70 and he nails it. The comeback is complete, Rob Cross wins!

If Cross is feeling the pressure he isn’t showing it.

He hits a 10-darter to move within one leg of the match again.

A 16th 180 from Dobey right when he needs it and he is dominating this leg.

He comes back for 46 but misses several darts at double. But Cross is way back and Dobey finally hits double 2. On we go.

Both men hit 140s but then they both fail to find a treble. This is getting so tense now.

Dobey has a chance at 124, but his shot at bull is just too high. Cross comes back for 32 and hits it. Pressure back on Dobey.

Dobey hits two trebles to leave himself 152, but then Cross leaves himself 93 with a great set-up.

Dobey hits two treble 20s but misses double 16. He gets another chance, though, and hits it.

It’s 2-2 in the deciding set. The match now needs to be won by clear legs unless we get to 5-5, then we will go to a sudden-death leg.

Dobey’s head has dropped and Cross goes in for the kill.

But then Dobey hits a 180 and a 140 to leave himself 40.

Cross needs 110 to win the match but he fails to hit a treble. Dobey is back and he hits double 10 to break back!

180 from Dobey followed by a 180 from Cross. This is stunning darts!

Cross gets a chance at 130 to break the throw. He leaves himself the bull and he hits it! Wow, what bottle from Rob Cross. He is one leg from the semi-finals!

We are into a deciding set and the luck seems to be against Dobey as he had a bounce out when going for a 180.

Cross has been so consistent with his scoring in the last few sets and he gets down to a double first.

He takes out 117, and he is ahead for the first time in this match!

Cross hits a 180, but Dobey says anything you can do so can I and hits his own 180!

Both men are playing very well in this set, and Cross gets the first dart at a checkout as he goes for the bull from a 127, but it’s just on the wire.

Dobey can’t take out 170, and Cross hits double 8. It’s 4-4!

Dobey looks to be getting his scoring back but Cross then hits a 180 to get back into the leg.

Dobey hits two treble 20s but then misses double 5 for a 130 checkout.

He returns to take it out, and now the pressure is back on Cross to win the set in the next leg.

Cross leaves himself 140, the same checkout he needed to win the world title six years ago.

He fails to take it out and Dobey is back for 76 to level the set. His dart at double top falls just short, and Cross returns for 56.

He takes his time and nails it. This is incredible from Cross.

Another 180 from Cross as he leaves himself 87 to break the throw and Dobey is only on 150.

Cross declines the chance to go for the bull as he sets himself up on double 16.

And he never looked like missing, perfect start to the set for Cross.

Dobey had a dart at the bull for the match and it was so close, but not close enough.

Set eight coming up, can Cross complete the comeback or will Dobey get the job done?

Dobey starts the leg with a 180 but Cross hits back straight away with one of his own. Great drama in this seventh set.

Dobey needs 124 to win the match and gets a shot at the bull but it’s on the wire!

Cross comes back for 50 and takes it out. It’s 4-3 and the crowd are going mad. Game on!

Cross is putting the pressure on Dobey and he gets a shot at 90 as Dobey continues to stutter.

But he doesn’t even get a shot at a double and Dobey takes out 93 impressively to move within one leg of winning the match.

Cross knows he can’t afford any mistakes now, but he hits 177 to leave himself 22.

He doesn’t facny double 11 so leaves himself double 8 and takes it out with one dart. The fightback continues.

Cross is flowing now and hits five perfect darts, but the sixth just drifts into treble 5.

Dobey then hits a 180 of his own to leave 92, but he misses another two darts at double. Is the pressure getting to him?

Cross gets a dart at the bull for the leg, but it drops short, and Dobey comes back to take out double 4. All square in the seventh set.

Dobey has gone off the boil but hits a 180 to get himself back on track.

He leaves himself 16 but misses three darts to take the leg. Cross returns for 68 and takes it out in two darts. The crowd are behind him and he clearly believes this game is not lost yet!

Cross hits three treble 18s and he is dominating this leg. Are doubts starting to creep in for Dobey.

Cross is back for double 10 and he nails it. We are back to 4-2. Is the comeback on?

Well now, here comes Cross, and he leaves himself 36.

Dobey misses another dart at double 16, and Cross returns to take out double 18 to break the throw.

A quiet leg from Dobey and Cross is first down to a finish. He takes out 16 to level the set.

Cross is having to hit two trebles per visit just to stay with Dobey and he can’t manage it in this leg as Dobey is down to a finish first.

He leaves himself double 20 but his dart goes high. Cross can’t take out 167, though, and Dobey nails tops to go ahead in the sixth set.

Littler could be on stage shortly if Dobey can wrap this match up.

How does a 16-year-old prepare for a World Championship quarter-final? Find out from Littler himself…

Three successive 140s puts Cross in control of the leg, but Dobey still gets a shot at 142. His dart at double 11 is on the wire, and Cross comes back to take out 32 to win his first set.

The crowd enjoyed that one, is there still a bit of hope for Cross?

Dobey only hits 60 but then follows up with another 180 to bring himself back into the leg.

Cross gets a shot at 170 and hits both treble 20s but his dart at the bull misses.

He returns to take out 48 and is one leg from getting his first set on the board.

Dobey looks like he’s just gone off the boil since the break, but then hits back-to-back 140s.

He leaves himself 110 but misses double 16 and Cross returns for 78. He gets one dart at double 20 but it’s miles off target. Dobey makes no mistake with double the second time around to level up the set.

Better from Cross as he fires in a 174 with great use of treble 19.

A quieter leg from Dobey and Cross takes out 92 to win just his fourth leg of the match.

This has been brilliant from Dobey and Cross has had no answer so far.

Can Cross get a set on the board or will this be a clean sweep for Dobey?

We could be seeing Luke Littler a little sooner than expected!

Dobey is absolutely flying and he has a go at 170 but just misses the bull.

Cross isn’t even down to a finish as Dobey takes out 25 to go 4-0 up. He is storming towards the semi-finals.

Cross is hardly playing badly and he hits a 180 of his own to take control of this leg.

But with Cross on 32, Dobey takes out 161 to take the second leg of the fourth set. Phenomenal finish from Dobey.

Dobey isn’t taking his foot off the gas as he hits yet another 180. He is now averaging over 100 as he fires in a 140.

Cross can’t keep up and Dobey takes out 84 for an 11-darter.

Better from Cross as he starts to find the treble with greater regularity.

But Dobey is right there with him as they get down to the double. Cross gets the first shot but misses darts at double 18 and double 9, and Dobey comes back to take out double 16 to move 3-0 up.

Cross hits his second 180, but he is still behind Dobey in the leg, such is Dobey’s dominance in the scoring department.

Dobey keeps leaving himself double 16 but he misses it again. He finds double 8, though, to move within a leg of the third set.

Cross starts with a 140, but Dobey follows up with a 180. Relentless scoring from the popular Geordie.

He gets down to a double first, but misses double 16 again. Cross fails to make him pay as he also misses double 16, and Dobey nails double four with his final dart to break the throw once more.

Cross had one dart to take that second set but couldn’t make the most of it, and he has now left himself an uphill task against the in-form Dobey.

Remember, it’s first to five sets at the quarter-final stage.

Dobey hits his sixth 180 of the match, Cross is struggling to match his scoring.

He’s nowhere in this leg, and Dobey hits double 20 for a 12-darter to move two sets up.

Back comes Dobey with a 180. Both players are finding their form now.

Make that another 180 as he leaves himself 41 after just nine darts. But he misses two darts at double 16 to give Cross a sniff at 167.

No doing for Cross, but then Dobey misses another three darts to take the leg. He gets another chance as Cross misses a dart at double 18 for the set.

No mistake from Dobey this time as he finally takes double four.

Cross hits 180 and then 177 to leave himself on a nine-darter!

He then hits treble 18 but misses the follow-up. Seven perfect darts, so close!

Not to worry, he comes back to take out 67 and moves ahead in the third set.

Dobey starts the leg with a 180 and has the crowd briefly excited when his fourth dart finds the treble 20 as well, but his next dart falls short.

He leaves himself on 128 after nine darts, but then has a sloppy visit and Cross has a chance at 90, but his own effort is poor as he fails to even get a dart at the bull.

Dobey returns but misses two darts at double 16, and Cross mops up 48 to level the set.

Dobey just finding his rhythm now has he finds two trebles in each of his first three visits after the break.

Cross puts him under a little pressure, but for the third time Dobey nails double 10 to take the first leg of the second set.

Neither player at their best in that first set, but Dobey just started to find his range by hitting 180s in the final two legs and that was enough to give him the set.

Dobey starts the leg on his own throw poorly again, but then hits his second 180 to get back into the leg.

Cross hits back-to-back 140s though to get a shot at 121. He fails to get the checkout, leaving Dobey a chance at 75, but his final dart at double 20 goes high.

Cross then misses double 16, and Dobey comes back to take out double 10 again with his second dart to take the opening set.

Dobey hits the first 180 of the match to leave himself 100 as he senses another break of throw.

Dobey hits treble 20, but his dart at tops is just low. No matter, though, as he switches to double 10 to take the leg.

A slack start to the leg from Dobey as he fails to hit a treble with his first 11 darts.

That allows Cross to get his nose in front as he gets down to a finish first by leaving himself 167. He nails treble 19 and treble 20 to leave the bullseye, but he misses his target by a distance.

Dobey is nowhere, though, and Cross comes back to hit double top and level the set.

Cross starts with the darts but only hits 42 with his first three.

Dobey then nails a 140 to pile on the pressure but Cross replies in kind and then hits 125 to get down to a finish.

He needs 111, but misses a dart at double 20 to take the leg. Dobey punishes him by taking out 89 to break the throw.

And here comes Rob Cross with ‘Feeling Hot’ blasting around the Palace.

It’s a red-hot atmosphere at the Ally Pally and the action will be getting underway in just a few moments…

Dobey makes his way to the Ally Pally stage to the tune of ‘Let’s get ready to rumble’.

He’s ready to fight for his place in the semi-finals.

Chisnall had a more comfortable passage through to the last eight by beating Daryl Gurney 4-2 on Saturday afternoon.

Can he upset the odds to beat Humphries later tonight?

Luke Humphries has been the form player in the world in recent months, but needed a sudden-death leg to beat Joe Cullen on Saturday.

He will be back for his quarter-final this evening against Dave Chisnall.

We are around 10 minutes away from getting underway. This promises to be a great afternoon of action at Ally Pally.

Michael van Gerwen has won the World Championship three times, and Rob Cross has won it once, but none of the other six players have lifted the title.

Will we get a new name on the Sid Waddell Trophy this year, or will Van Gerwen or Cross rule the world again?

It has not all been plain sailing for Littler over the past fortnight as he issued an apology on social media on Friday after being pictured holding The Sun newspaper.

Littler hails from Warrington – a town between Liverpool and Manchester – and The Sun have received fierce criticism from the people of Liverpool over the years for their coverage of the Hillsborough Disaster in 1989.

Littler has breezed through the tournament so far but will have his work cut out today against the experienced Dolan.

The Northern Irishman has already beaten former world champions Gerwynn Price and Gary Anderson, and would love nothing more than to spoil the Littler party this afternoon.

Littler has become an overnight star and it seems everyone wants to meet him.

He sat alongside huge darts fan James Maddison to watch Tottenham beat Bournemouth yesterday, as he continues to remain relaxed ahead of his quarter-final clash with Dolan.

Cross and Dobey should take to the stage at around about 12.45pm.

Having made the last eight for the first time since winning the tournament six years ago, Cross has declared himself ‘ready to go’ this afternoon in a post to fans on X.

Chris Dobey thrashed defending champion Michael Smith 4-0 in the last 16 and will fancy his chances against Cross today.

Dobey is in arguably the form of his life, and has shown signs that he could go all the way after falling at the quarter-final hurdle last year.

Littler will take centre stage later this afternoon, but first up we will see 2018 champion Rob Cross in action.

Cross popped into Mail Sport’s offices last month to raise awareness for Paddy Power’s pledge to donate £1,000 to Prostate Cancer UK for every 180 hit at this year’s tournament, and he also answered your quickfire questions…

Littler was an unknown quantity just over two weeks ago but has quickly become a houshold name.

He has been preparing for this moment for years, though, and Mail Sport has taken a look at his rise to the top.

Littler was a 150/1 underdog to win the World Championship before the tournament got underway but he is now just three games away from becoming the youngest ever champion.

Having seen off five-time champion Raymond van Barneveld on Saturday, Littler is starting to dream that this could be his year.

All four quarter-finals will be played today, with two in the afternoon session followed by two in the evening.

We will start with an all-English affair between Rob Cross and Chris Dobey, before Littler takes to the oche to face Northern Ireland’s Brendan Dolan.

Tonight’s action will begin with three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen against Scott Williams followed by Luke Humphries taking on Dave Chisnall.

Happy New Year! It’s quarter-final day at the World Darts Championship and 16-year-old sensation Luke Littler is looking to book his place in the last four.

Can he do it? Stay tuned to find out!