Rob Cross is full of respect for what Luke Littler has done since his emergence in professional darts, but he won't be holding back when the two meet this evening.
The second Darts Premier League night takes place tonight in Berlin with Cross and Littler drawn to face one another.
It's the first time they will play against each other since their clash at the semi-finals of the World Championships.
At just 16 years old, Littler defeated the former world champion 6-2 to ease through to the final, before turning a year older recently.
Cross himself didn't play bad as he averaged over 100 in the match, but Littler averaged 106 for the second time in the tournament to progress.
Luke Littler plays his second Premier League evening tonight
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The teenage darts sensation has continued his meteoric rise since then, winning the Bahrain Masters and reaching the final of the Dutch Masters.
Littler made his Premier League debut last week, where he defeated Luke Humphries to pick up two points before losing to eventual winner of the night Michael Smith.
Cross sits level on points with Littler going into their Premier League clash after he defeated Peter Wright a week ago.
The 33-year-old is attempting to put the Littler sideshow to the back of his mind when they take to the oche in Berlin.
And he has warned the teen sensation that he's in for a difficult night.
“Luke is an amazing kid but I still want to beat him," Cross told the PDC.
“I genuinely don’t think any of the more experienced guys like myself, Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price or Peter Wright actually think of him as a 17-year-old teenager.
“We just see him as someone we have to beat on the stage.
"He conducts himself brilliantly, he acts like he’s been around the sport for years the way he handles the pressure and the media.
“It’s a big match for both of us. My doubles cost me big time in Cardiff.
Luke Littler defeated Rob Cross at the World Championship
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"My scoring has been the best of my career. So if I sort the finishing, I’ll be dangerous."
Littler has indicated that his main attention for 2024 is on performing well in the Premier League.
The teen sensation seemingly downplayed his performances in his first two World Series events, calling them nothing more than "match practice".
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Luke Littler made an impressive Premier League debut last week
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''It was good to win on my debut (in Bahrain) and obviously be the youngest person to hit a nine-darter as well," he said.
"But overall it was just match practice for the Premier League, as was Holland.'
'Now we are kicking on with the Premier League. I know I have got the ability to beat the best. I am just happy with how I have been playing.
"The worlds was a big step up but I have proved I can play with the best and that is why I have got my shot in the Premier League."
