LITTLER BREAKS SILENCE ON VAN VEEN BUST-UP

LUKE LITTLER has insisted he was reacting to the crowd and not Gian van Veen after their heated clash in Manchester.

The Nuke was involved in a bust-up with the Dutchman on Week Nine of the Premier League.  

World No.3 Van Veen appeared to take issue with Littler gesturing to the crowd after he missed a match dart in their quarter-final clash.

Van Veen eventually secured a 6-5 triumph before the pair exchanged a frosty handshake. 

Littler was adamant the show of emotion had nothing to do with Van Veen and believes the situation was misread.

He told Online Darts: “From my point of view I am looking up at the TV thinking he is not going to miss. 

“Even if he gets a shot at the bull, Gian is one of the best bull hitters in the game. 

“You know if he is on a 124 or 128 he will just ping the bull. But when he came inside the double 15, I looked up and had a drink of my water. 

“I did a little fist pump towards Faith and her dad. The fans were all screaming, so then I was like ‘come on’ to them and the whole arena. 

“There was no need for Gian to look back and stare at me. He still has a dart in hand, so he should step back, look at the floor, then throw his last dart. 

“He is staring at me. I did not do it to him. I did it to Faith and her dad, the whole crowd. 

“There is no need for him to be staring when he has a dart left to throw to set up. 

“What other people didn’t see was as I walked back round, I am still looking that way and he has put his darts down. 

“So he has put his darts on the table but nobody sees that.” 

Littler currently sits second in the Premier League table after claiming three nightly victories. 

He returns to action this Thursday in Rotterdam, where he faces Gerwyn Price.

Image by Taylor Lanning.