Luke Littler has confirmed that, to date, he has not had any conversation with Dutch rival Gian van Veen following their heated exchange in Manchester, but he maintains that the incident is now behind them. The two competitors were involved in a tense on‑stage confrontation during a Premier League Darts match three weeks ago, when the back‑to‑back world champion was accused of gloating after Littler missed a crucial match dart. The episode ended with a chilly handshake and a flurry of posts on social media, each player standing firmly by his own version of events. Littler made it clear that he has not reached out to van Veen to smooth things over.
"No, we haven’t spoken. I’m not the sort of person who goes up to someone and tries to talk it out," he told Sky Sports. "Maybe he’s waiting for me to make the first move, but that’s not how I operate – even in practice rooms, people usually come to me first if they want to chat." He added that he prefers to let the darts themselves settle any lingering score‑line disputes.
"We can obviously settle it on the board, but backstage everything has been normal and the preparation has stayed the same," Littler said. "I think he’s forgotten about it, I’ve forgotten about it. I moved on the next day, went on holiday and left it behind." Despite his calm public stance, the fallout from the Manchester incident has followed Littler around the circuit. He faced a hostile reception in Rotterdam last week, and again encountered a chilly atmosphere in Liverpool on Thursday.
Nevertheless, the Englishman turned the negativity into motivation, producing a stellar performance that night. He defeated Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Jonny Clayton in succession, silencing the boo‑boys and securing a memorable victory. When asked whether he regrets anything about the Manchester episode, Littler was unequivocal. "No, I don’t regret anything.
Obviously I have my opinion, he has his opinion, and we’re both entitled to them," he explained. "We’ve both moved on with our game on stage, but off‑stage we still haven’t spoken.
It’s been a tough couple of weeks, but I just had to keep going. Winning tonight gives me confidence and reminds me why I love darts." The upcoming fixtures could provide a chance for the two to meet again, should they both advance to the finals in Aberdeen, Leeds or Birmingham.
Littler says he is looking forward to a possible rematch, even if the personal conversation remains unresolved. "If we meet again, we’ll settle it on the board.
Until then I’m just focusing on my own game," he said. Littler’s relationship with the crowds has been a mixed bag this season. He admits that playing in Liverpool has never been the warmest experience for him, largely because he is an outspoken Manchester United supporter and often jokes about Liverpool’s fortunes on social media.
However, he insists that the hostility he encountered in Rotterdam – van Veen’s home turf – was far more intense. "Rotterdam was far worse than tonight. I even proved last week that I can win under those conditions," Littler noted.
"There was no anxiety; I just expected the worst, but it wasn’t worse than Rotterdam. That was the toughest atmosphere I’ve faced." Looking ahead, Littler is focused on the remainder of the Premier League Darts season. He emphasizes that his priority is simply to play darts and keep winning.
"Just playing darts, that’s what I’ve done now. Winning this night gives me confidence and keeps me motivated for the rest of the league," he said. Fans of the sport can continue to follow the action each Thursday as the league moves toward its finals in May, with live coverage on Sky Sports and streaming options via NOW. The rivalry between Littler and van Veen adds an extra layer of intrigue, and whether they will finally sit down and talk – or let the dartboard do the talking – remains to be seen.