Littler's Early Exit in Brighton: A Carryover from Van Veen Dispute?

World champion Luke Littler suffered a disappointing loss to Stephen Bunting in the Premier League quarter-final, recording his lowest PDC TV average. This defeat came a week after his highly publicized spat with Gian van Veen in Manchester. Littler was met with a hostile crowd in Brighton, which may have contributed to his subpar performance. Former Premier League star Wayne Mardle believes Littler's exit was a direct result of the previous week's incident, stating it would be a coincidence if the two events were unrelated. Bunting, who celebrated his 41st birthday, took advantage of Littler's struggles and secured a win despite not being at his best, hitting only six of his 21 darts at a double. Littler's average of 83.94 was his lowest in a televised PDC match, and he failed to hit a single maximum. The young champion showed little reaction to the loss, shaking Bunting's hand and exiting the stage meekly. Mardle felt Littler was nowhere near his usual standard, looking flat and lacking his usual directness. Bunting addressed the crowd's behavior, expressing his dislike for the boos directed towards Littler, saying, 'He's human, and it's tough.' Three-time world champion John Part noted Littler 'didn't look interested' during the match, speculating that the crowd's hostility may have been off-putting. Part also stated that Bunting 'did what he had to do' and could have won the match 6-0. Jonny Clayton produced a stunning comeback to beat Michael Van Gerwen, moving three points ahead of Littler in the table. Clayton confirmed that Littler and Van Veen practiced in separate rooms, downplaying any potential issue. The Welshman secured his third nightly win of the year, recording a majestic 140 checkout and surviving two match darts to level the contest. Clayton sealed the win with a composed 12-darter, admitting he thought the game was over before Van Gerwen missed his chances. The Premier League continues, with the next night of action taking place in Rotterdam, featuring crucial matches, including Luke Humphries vs. Gian van Veen and Luke Littler vs. Gerwyn Price.