Luke Littler took the boos he encountered in Liverpool in stride as he clinched Night 12 of the Premier League, insisting that the hostile reaction he faced on Night 11 in Rotterdam was "the worst he has ever experienced." Littler has grown accustomed to the occasional jeering from spectators in recent weeks, but the most intense backlash stemmed from a heated exchange with Dutch No.1 Gian van Veen during Night Nine in Manchester. The controversy began when van Veen secured a contentious victory and Littler reacted angrily after his opponent turned toward him while throwing his match darts.
Van Veen accused Littler of being "out of order" for "celebrating towards the crowd," a comment that sparked a wave of boos as Littler made his way to the stage for each of his three matches on his run to the final on Night 11 in Rotterdam, performed in front of van Veen’s home supporters. Even in Liverpool, the Manchester native was not greeted with a warm reception. Nevertheless, he ignored the negative atmosphere at the M&S Bank Arena and recorded his fifth consecutive nightly win by defeating Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Jonny Clayton. The victory left him just three points behind Clayton at the top of the table, with four regular weeks still to play.
For Littler, the Rotterdam episode was a benchmark for dealing with hostile crowds. "It is what it is – the booing," he told Sky Sports.
"I’ve won, and we move on to next week. Rotterdam was far louder than this night.
This week was nothing compared with last week. I just have to forget about it. I was focused, I wanted to win, and that’s exactly what I did." He added that his performance under pressure proved a point: "I showed people last week that I can win games under those circumstances, and I’ve done it again. There’s no anxiety for me – I expect the worst, but it wasn’t worse than Rotterdam.
That was the toughest experience, and it feels good to come through those games despite the atmosphere." It has now been three weeks since the original spat between Littler and van Veen, a clash that ignited a lingering resentment from crowds each week. Although the two have not spoken since the incident, Littler believes both have moved past it, even if they may eventually settle the score on the dartboard when they meet again. "No, we haven’t spoken, but I’m not the type of person to go up and talk to him," Littler explained.
"Maybe he’s waiting for me to approach him, but that’s not my style. Even in the practice room, people come to me first – I’m not the chatty type. We can obviously settle it on the dartboard.
Behind the scenes everything has been normal, the preparation the same. I think he’s forgotten about it, I’ve forgotten about it.
If I need to talk to him, I will. I don’t regret anything. I had my opinion, he has his, and we’re both entitled to them.
I think we’ve both moved on with our game on stage; off stage we haven’t spoken, but I’m sure we will eventually." Littler’s calm attitude and ability to thrive under duress have become a hallmark of his recent form. After overcoming the vocal disapproval in Rotterdam, he demonstrated that he can block out distractions and focus on the fundamentals of his game – steady aim, precise rhythm, and mental resilience.
His recent string of victories against top‑ranked opponents, including the seasoned Michael van Gerwen and the seasoned Jonny Clayton, underscores his growing confidence and his capacity to perform when the pressure is at its peak. The Premier League Darts season continues to heat up, with the title race narrowing as the remaining weeks approach. Luke Humphries, the defending champion, remains in contention, and fans can tune in each Thursday until May on Sky Sports to watch the drama unfold.
For those who prefer streaming, the competition is also available via NOW, offering live darts action alongside a broader selection of top‑level sport. Looking ahead, Littler’s next challenge will be to maintain his momentum while navigating the inevitable ups and downs of a tightly contested league. His ability to shrug off boos, stay focused on his target, and keep his emotions in check will be crucial as he aims to close the gap on the leaderboard and possibly overtake the current leaders. Whether he eventually meets van Veen again on stage remains a tantalising prospect for supporters, promising another chapter in a rivalry that has already added a compelling narrative to this season’s Premier League Darts.