Luke Littler showed little concern for the boos he endured in Liverpool after clinching Night 12 of the Premier League, insisting that the hostile reaction he faced on Night 11 in Rotterdam was "the worst he has experienced". In recent weeks Littler has become accustomed to facing vocal opposition from various crowds, with the most intense episode occurring after his clash with Dutch No. 1 Gian van Veen on Night Nine in Manchester.
The controversy began when van Veen secured a disputed victory. During the decisive throw, Littler reacted angrily as his opponent turned toward him while releasing his match darts. Van Veen later accused Littler of being "out of order" for "celebrating towards the crowd", a comment that sparked a heated exchange between the two competitors.
The dispute quickly spilled over into the audience, and Littler was met with a chorus of boos as he took the stage for each of his three matches on his way to the final on Night 11 in Rotterdam, performed in front of van Veen's home supporters. Despite the chilly reception in Liverpool, Littler remained undeterred. At the M&S Bank Arena he delivered a flawless performance, overcoming Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Jonny Clayton to secure his fifth consecutive nightly win.
The victory placed him just three points behind Clayton at the top of the league table, with four regular weeks still to play. After the Rotterdam incident, Littler made it clear that nothing would shake his focus. "It is what it is," he told Sky Sports, acknowledging the boos without letting them affect his mindset.
"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 definitely wanted to win tonight and that's what I've done." He added later that he had already proven he could triumph under pressure.
"I even proved to people last week that I can win games under those circumstances and I've done it again. There is no anxiety there. I just expect the worst but it was not worse than Rotterdam. That is the worst I have experienced.
It is good to come through those games under those circumstances," Littler explained. It has now been three weeks since the original spat between Littler and van Veen, a clash that ignited a lingering resentment from certain sections of the crowd each week.
Although the two have not spoken since the incident, Littler believes both players have moved past the drama. He hinted that a future on‑stage encounter could finally settle the score. "No, we have not spoken, but I'm not the type of person to go up and talk to him or something like that," he said. "Maybe he is waiting for me to go and talk to him, but I'm not the type of person.
Even in the practice room, people will talk to me first. I am not the type of person to be chatting away.
We can obviously settle it on the dartboard. In the back room it has just been normal.
It has just been the same preparation-wise. I think he's forgotten about it.
I forgot about it. If I need to talk to him, then I will.
I don't regret anything. Obviously, I had my opinion, he has got his opinion, so we are all entitled to it. I think we have both moved on with our game on stage, but off stage, obviously, we've not spoken.
But yeah, I'm sure we will." Littler's calm, pragmatic approach reflects a broader trend among elite darts players: the ability to compartmentalise crowd reaction and maintain performance levels. While the sport's atmosphere can be electric, with fans often influencing momentum, top competitors learn to treat boos as background noise, focusing instead on their own rhythm and strategy. Looking ahead, the Premier League Darts race remains wide open. Defending champion Luke Humphries will be aiming to retain his title, while other contenders such as Michael van Gerwen, Jonny Clayton and the ever‑consistent Luke Littler continue to battle for the top spot.
Fans can follow the weekly Thursday fixtures on Sky Sports until the season concludes in May, with live streaming available through NOW. Beyond the immediate drama, the Littler‑van Veen saga underscores how personal rivalries can amplify crowd sentiment, turning ordinary matches into emotionally charged spectacles. Whether the two will finally meet again on the oche remains to be seen, but the anticipation adds an extra layer of intrigue to an already compelling league. For those interested in more darts coverage, the Premier League schedule and standings are regularly updated online, and highlights, analysis and podcasts such as "Love the Darts" provide deeper insight into player form and upcoming matchups.
As the season progresses, all eyes will be on how Littler navigates the remaining weeks, whether he can maintain his momentum, and if he can finally put the Rotterdam incident behind him for good.