Luke Littler is bracing for a tough reception as the Premier League Darts heads to Liverpool, and fellow pro Stephen Bunting believes the young star may have invited the backlash himself.
The reigning PDC world champion, 18, is set to face Michael van Gerwen in a rematch of their World Championship final at the M&S Bank Arena on Thursday night. But it won’t just be his opponent putting him under pressure—the crowd could be just as fierce.
Littler has been outspoken about his loyalty to Manchester United, even taking jabs at Liverpool FC, which hasn’t gone unnoticed on Merseyside. According to local favorite Bunting, the darts prodigy might be in for a frosty welcome.
“Football rivalries will always be part of the sport one way or another, but it’s a dangerous path to go down,” said Bunting. “Last year, I was there as a fan and he [Littler] was mocking us for getting beat 2-0 by Everton. I don’t think people forget stuff like that.”
When asked about crowd reactions, Bunting added:
“It doesn’t really bother me—as long as they’re supporting me, I couldn’t give a carrot about anyone else. But with how fragile [Littler] seems at the minute after Germany, I don’t think he likes it. Sometimes, though, you bring it on yourself.”
Littler faced a hostile reception earlier this week in Munich, where he was eliminated in the German Grand Prix semi-finals. He later expressed relief about not returning to Germany on tour until October, though he’ll still represent England alongside Luke Humphries at the World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt this June.
Meanwhile, Bunting—currently at the bottom of the Premier League table—hopes to turn things around in his home city. A win in Liverpool would mark a stunning comeback after a rough start to his campaign, having lost his first eight matches.
“This has probably been 10 years in the making,” he said, recalling his debut Premier League match in Liverpool, where he suffered a 7-1 loss to Phil Taylor in 2015. “As soon as I was announced in this year’s line-up, the first fixture I looked for was Liverpool.”
Despite football rivalries flaring up, Bunting hopes fans will also cheer for good darts, regardless of club colors.
“It’s not all about Liverpool tomorrow night. There will be fans who support me as a dart player—not just because I support Liverpool.”
Premier League Darts – Night 12 Fixtures
- Luke Humphries vs Nathan Aspinall
- Luke Littler vs Michael van Gerwen
- Rob Cross vs Stephen Bunting
- Gerwyn Price vs Chris Dobey
