World No 1 Luke Littler and rival Gian van Veen could be set for a swift reunion in Brighton following their heated spat which boiled over last Thursday in Manchester.
The Dutchman said Littler was “out of order” after defeating the world champion in a fiery encounter last week.
Amid a tense deciding leg, Van Veen missed a match dart before turning to find Littler celebrating in front of the home crowd, with Littler then gesturing angrily at his opponent as he turned back to the oche.
The world No 1 then missed his chance to throw for the match and Van Veen did not allow him another visit as he wrapped up the quarter-final win – but not before Littler made a crying gesture to the crowd and then exchanged a brief handshake with his rival.
The pair could meet in Brighton if Van Veen can beat Van Gerwen and Littler sees off Bunting in their respective quarter-finals.
‘Nothing wrong’ with Littler, Van Veen incident
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Van Veen explained the heated ending to his quarter-final match with Littler in Manchester
Luke Humphries expressed some sympathy for his rival Littler after his heated exchange with Van Veen – but insists it will be “forgotten” in a couple of weeks.
He said: “It comes with the territory. You’ve seen it many times over the years. Players have done it here and there. Sometimes you do things and you think ‘oh god I wish I hadn’t done that now’. But you’re in it.
“It’s hot news right now. In two weeks it will all be forgotten, no one will remember it and we’ll all move on.
“I don’t think it’s [needle] necessary for the game. There’s nothing wrong with it sometimes. It’s not something us players want to encourage. If it happens, it happens.”
Mardle: Littler got caught with his hand in the cookie jar
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Wayne Mardle takes a closer look at what caused the fiery end to Littler’s quarter-final match with Van Veen…
Speaking after the incident, Sky Sports’ Wayne Mardle explained how matters escalated on the oche at a heated AO Arena.
“I know exactly what happened,” Mardle said. “Van Veen went inside on D15 and Luke was happy about that so kind of gave it the Simon Whitlock ‘well done’.
“You shouldn’t do that and as he has done that, Gian has turned around thinking ‘why did you do that?’
“I can lip read but I won’t repeat what Luke said as I don’t want to hand in my notice! You have got to say that Gian handled it better.”
Mardle later added: “Luke did something he shouldn’t have done and that was giving it this (celebration) but what he didn’t expect was Gian to see him.
“He got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He won’t be doing that again!”
Littler reacted to his controversial defeat by posting a list of his TV titles on Instagram with the headline “goodnight, god bless, thank you Manchester” covering up his last 16 exit in the European Championship, in which Van Veen is the current reigning champion.
He also mocked Van Veen’s statement saying that Littler’s behaviour “was out of place” with three laughing emojis.
Luke Littler took to Instagram after his fiery Premier League Darts match in Manchester
Is Humphries feeling the pressure?
Meanwhile, Humphries admits he has entered a pivotal phase of his Premier League title defence, with his fate still in his own hands despite the mounting pressure to keep his Play-Off hopes alive.
Humphries is the defending Premier League champion but currently sits in sixth place in the table on 11 points. Van Veen is fifth on 12 points, with Michael van Gerwen in the fourth Play-Off spot.
The world No 2 is yet to win a night in this year’s Premier League, with Luke Littler having won three while Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton have won two each, and Stephen Bunting has won one.
Humphries is not out of the running to make Finals Night in London next month and returns to the arena in Brighton on Thursday where he hit a magical nine-darter against Rob Cross last year.
So far, four-time semi-finalist Humphries has made it to the final just once on Night Six in Nottingham where he was beaten 6-1 by Clayton, who he opens the Night 11 action against in Brighton.
It’s a game which has taken on added significance for Humphries, who has entered a campaign-defining period of the Premier League.
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Highlights of the final on Night 6 of the Premier League in Nottingham between Jonny Clayton and Luke Humphries.
“It’s a game I probably have to win,” he told reporters. “It’s probably getting to the point of no return, where you can’t really be losing games in the first round.
“You can leave it too late. I don’t really have to win the night, I just have to keep winning that first game and maybe win one night at least. That seems to be the way it’s going for me this year, I’ve got to try and creep in there.”
Clayton, meanwhile, had won his opening match for six straight weeks but has since surrendered a seven‑point lead in the competition, slipping to third as a result.
Time for Humphries to panic?
Sky Sports Darts’ Wayne Mardle…
“He kept berating himself way too often (in Manchester), every time he missed a treble actually, which is not like him. I didn’t like that.
“I don’t know if he is feeling under pressure or feeling he should be winning but when he is at it he will win.
“It’s not time to push the panic button. It’s still in his hands.”
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Luke Humphries had the last laugh in Nottingham, responding in style to the crowd as he beat Luke Littler in the semi-final on Night 6 of the Premier League.
Price, who recorded averages of 104.5, 112.9 and 105.8 over Van Gerwen, Bunting and Van Veen to blast to glory in Manchester, is targeting to move top of the table.
The 41-year-old returns to Brighton having lost his opening match in the last two years, although he claimed the nightly win in 2023 – the same year he finished runner-up of the Premier League.
“It’s nice to be second,” reflected Price, who will face a resurgent Josh Rock in his opening tie of the evening. “I just want to pick up two points every week.
“We probably all look at the table. It’s in every player’s head.
“I think everyone’s still in with a chance, even Josh if he wins a couple. He’s got a bit of confidence now.”
What’s happening on Premier League Night 10 in Brighton
The BetMGM Premier League season continues with Night 10 in Brighton, as Van Gerwen takes on Van Veen, in an all-Dutch showdown.
Humphries and Clayton go head to head in the evening’s opener, Price faces Rock, while Littler and Bunting lock horns in the quarter-finals.
Night 10 – The Brighton Centre on Thursday April 9
Quarter-Finals
Luke Humphries
vs
Jonny Clayton
Gerwyn Price
vs
Josh Rock
Luke Littler
vs
Stephen Bunting
Michael van Gerwen
vs
Gian van Veen
Ranking points are awarded per night – with five to the winner, three to the runner-up and two to the semi-finalists – to form the league table from which the top four players will progress to Finals Night at The O2 in London on Thursday May 28.
Who will win this year’s Premier League Darts? Luke Humphries will be defending his title and you can watch the action every single Thursday until May on Sky Sports. Stream darts and more top sport with NOW.
