Luke Littler aims cheeky jibe at Newcastle fans as he wastes no time breaking silence on shock Premier League Darts KO

LUKE LITTLER broke his silence on social media just minutes after suffering a shock defeat on Night One of the 2026 Premier League Darts season.

The reigning world champion, 19, was beaten 6-4 by Gian van Veen in Newcastle, as the Dutchman marked his Premier League debut with an eye-catching victory.

Despite the disappointment, Littler wasted no time reacting. Barely ten minutes after leaving the stage at the Utilita Arena, The Nuke took to Instagram from backstage.

He posted a photo of a television screen and added a caption alongside a salute emoji that read: “Newcastle u was brilliant.”

Littler followed that up with: “Into next week… ps 3-1.”

A passionate football fan, the Manchester United supporter appeared to be referencing Newcastle United’s 3-1 defeat away at Manchester City earlier that evening, a cheeky jibe that did not go unnoticed by fans online.

Attention now turns quickly to Night Two of the Premier League, which takes place in Antwerp. Littler is scheduled to face Luke Humphries in the opening quarter-final as he looks to bounce back immediately.

The teenager won the Premier League title in 2024 but fell short in last year’s final, where he was beaten by Humphries. That rivalry will be renewed once again as two of the sport’s biggest names go head-to-head early in the night.

For Van Veen, the victory carried extra significance. The 23-year-old had been heavily beaten 7-1 by Littler in last month’s World Championship final at Alexandra Palace, making this win a swift and satisfying form of revenge.

Speaking after the match, Van Veen admitted he knew he could not allow Littler to settle.

He said: “He’s too good to let him run away from you. You need to get one back over him and this was the perfect day to do it.”

Van Veen’s night continued with a semi-final clash against Jonny Clayton in Newcastle, as he attempted to build on his stunning opening win.

Elsewhere on Night One, Luke Humphries booked his place in the semi-finals with a victory over Gerwyn Price, while Michael van Gerwen overcame Stephen Bunting to set up a blockbuster showdown between the two former world champions.