Stephen Bunting is preparing for an emotional night in front of his home crowd in Liverpool, where he will face off against Premier League leader Jonny Clayton in the quarter-finals. Bunting, who is used to feeding off the energy of the crowd, is looking forward to the experience and hopes it will give him an edge over his opponents. Meanwhile, Luke Littler, who has been subject to booing in recent weeks, is bracing himself for another potentially hostile reception. The back-to-back world champion has been involved in a high-profile feud with Gian van Veen and has also faced criticism for his comments about Liverpool's struggles on the football pitch.
Bunting, on the other hand, has a reputation for being respectful and humble, and is likely to receive a warm welcome from the Liverpool crowd. The event is set to be an exciting one, with several high-profile matches taking place, including Littler's clash with Luke Humphries and Van Veen's match against Gerwyn Price. Darts chief Barry Hearn has warned players that they must learn to adapt to booing from the crowd, as security staff cannot eject tens of thousands of fans.
Wayne Mardle has offered some words of advice to Littler, urging him to listen to his team and management and to focus on his game rather than engaging with the crowd. The Premier League Darts continues every Thursday until May, with Luke Humphries defending his title.