Littler Suffers Early Exit in Brighton, Mardle Attributes Loss to Van Veen Spat

Luke Littler faced a hostile crowd in Brighton, resulting in his lowest televised PDC average and an early exit from the Premier League quarter-final. According to Wayne Mardle, this defeat may be a 'knock-on' effect from Littler's spat with Gian van Veen the previous week. Littler was booed upon entering the Brighton Centre and struggled to recover from a poor start, ultimately losing to Stephen Bunting. Mardle believes Littler's performance was impacted by the incident with Van Veen, saying it would be a coincidence if the two events were unrelated. Bunting, who turned 41 on Thursday, secured a win despite missing multiple opportunities and hitting only six of his 21 darts at a double. Littler, meanwhile, showed little reaction to the loss and averaged only 83.94, his lowest in a televised PDC match. Former Premier League star Mardle felt Littler was not at his usual standard, appearing 'flat' and lacking directness in his throws. The crowd's hostile behavior towards Littler was addressed by Bunting, who expressed sympathy for his opponent, stating, 'Thankfully, he is human!' Three-time world champion John Part noted that Littler 'didn't look interested' during the match, speculating that the crowd's behavior may have been off-putting. Jonny Clayton ultimately moved ahead of Littler in the table with a stunning comeback against Michael Van Gerwen, securing a nightly win. The Welshman confirmed that Littler and Van Veen practiced in separate rooms, downplaying any potential significance. The Premier League season continues, with the top four players progressing to Finals Night at The O2 in London on May 28.