Littler Faces Hostile Crowd in Brighton, Exits Premier League Quarter-Final

World champion Luke Littler suffered a disappointing defeat to Stephen Bunting in the Premier League quarter-final, with his lowest PDC TV average. The 19-year-old's exit has been attributed to a 'knock-on' effect from his spat with Gian van Veen last week. Littler was booed by the crowd in Brighton and struggled to recover from a poor start, eventually losing with an average of 83.94. Former Premier League star Wayne Mardle believes Littler's performance was impacted by the previous week's incident, stating it would be a coincidence if it had no effect. Bunting, who turned 41 on Thursday, capitalized on Littler's mistakes and secured a win despite not being at his best, hitting just six of his 21 darts at a double. The victory marked Littler's earliest exit from the competition, and he will need to regroup and refocus to regain his position in the league. Meanwhile, Jonny Clayton produced a stunning comeback to beat Michael Van Gerwen in the final, moving three points ahead of Littler in the table.