Littler's Premier League Exit: A 'Knock-On' Effect from Van Veen Dispute?

World champion Luke Littler suffered a disappointing defeat to Stephen Bunting in the Premier League quarter-finals, recording his lowest PDC TV average. This loss came a week after his highly publicized spat with Gian van Veen in Manchester. Former Premier League star Wayne Mardle believes Littler's exit was a direct result of the incident, stating that it would be a coincidence if the two events were unrelated. Littler was booed by the crowd in Brighton and struggled to regain his composure, eventually losing with an average of 83.94. In contrast, Bunting secured a hard-fought victory, despite having multiple opportunities gifted to him by his opponent's mistakes. The win propelled Jonny Clayton to the top of the table after a stunning comeback against Michael Van Gerwen. Clayton overcame two match darts to level the contest and sealed the win with a composed 12-darter in the final leg. The Premier League continues, with the next match set to take place in Rotterdam, featuring key battles including Luke Humphries against Gian van Veen and Luke Littler against Gerwyn Price.