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

Luke Littler experienced a tumultuous night in Brighton, suffering his lowest televised PDC average in a loss to Stephen Bunting. This defeat came on the heels of his highly publicized spat with Gian van Veen the previous week. According to Wayne Mardle, Littler's exit from the Premier League quarter-final might have been a direct consequence of the earlier altercation. The crowd in Brighton was hostile towards Littler, subjecting him to jeers upon his entrance and ironic cheers during his poor start. Despite being gifted multiple opportunities, Bunting only managed to hit six of his 21 darts at a double. Littler, who changed his darts throughout the match, showed little reaction to the loss and averaged a mere 83.94, failing to hit a single maximum. Former Premier League star Mardle believed Littler was not at his usual standard, looking 'flat' and lacking the directness in his throws that he typically exhibits. Bunting addressed the crowd's behavior towards Littler, stating, 'Thankfully, he is human! It's tough because the crowd was giving him some stick.' Three-time world champion John Part noted that Littler 'didn't look interested' during his subdued display. Meanwhile, Jonny Clayton produced a stunning comeback to defeat seven-time champion Michael Van Gerwen, moving three points ahead of Littler in the table. The Welshman confirmed that Littler and Van Veen practiced in separate rooms at the Brighton Centre. Clayton struck a majestic 140 checkout and survived two match darts to level the contest before sealing the win with a composed 12-darter. He admitted, 'I thought the game was over,' but capitalized on Van Gerwen's missed chances to complete the comeback. The BetMGM Premier League continues in Rotterdam, with Dutch No 1 Gian van Veen hosting Luke Humphries and home hero Michael van Gerwen facing Jonny Clayton.