Littler Suffers Embarrassing Defeat in Brighton Amidst Van Veen Feud

Luke Littler faced a hostile crowd in Brighton, resulting in his lowest PDC TV average, and former Premier League star Wayne Mardle believes this was a direct consequence of his spat with Gian van Veen the previous week. Littler's performance was lackluster, and he was booed by the audience as he entered the stage. His opponent, Stephen Bunting, capitalized on Littler's poor form and secured a comfortable win. Mardle stated that Littler seemed 'flat' and was not throwing darts with his usual directness, attributing this to the lingering effects of the Van Veen incident. Bunting expressed sympathy for Littler, saying he is a 'fantastic lad' and didn't deserve the hostile treatment from the crowd. The three-time world champion, John Part, noted that Littler 'didn't look interested' during the match and that Bunting should have won more convincingly. Jonny Clayton ultimately topped the table with a stunning comeback against Michael Van Gerwen, while Littler fell behind in the rankings. The Premier League continues, with the next match taking place in Rotterdam, featuring crucial battles between top players, including Luke Humphries vs. Gian van Veen and Luke Littler vs. Gerwyn Price.