Littler Faces Backlash in Brighton, Exit Possibly Linked to Van Veen Dispute

World champion Luke Littler endured a difficult night in Brighton, suffering a quarter-final exit in the Premier League at the hands of Stephen Bunting, with his lowest televised PDC average of 83.94. This poor performance came just a week after his highly publicized spat with Gian van Veen in Manchester, leading some to speculate that the incident may have had a lingering effect on Littler's game. Former Premier League star Wayne Mardle believes Littler's exit could be a 'knock-on' from the dispute, stating that Littler looked 'flat' and was 'lobbing the darts' at times, which is uncharacteristic of his usual throwing style. Bunting, who celebrated his 41st birthday on Thursday, capitalized on Littler's struggles, despite not being at his best, hitting just six of his 21 darts at a double. The crowd in Brighton was hostile towards Littler, booing him upon his entrance and during his poor start, from which he could not recover. In contrast, Bunting showed his class, both in victory and in his post-match comments, expressing his dislike for seeing Littler treated poorly by the crowd, despite being his opponent. Meanwhile, Jonny Clayton made a stunning comeback to defeat Michael Van Gerwen, moving three points ahead of Littler in the table. Clayton's win was marked by a remarkable turnaround, surviving two match darts at 5-2 down and another pair at 5-4 down, before sealing the victory with a composed 12-darter in the last leg. As the Premier League continues, all eyes will be on how Littler responds to this setback, with his next match against Gerwyn Price being crucial in the battle for top spots.