BUNTING WARNED HE MUST WIN A MAJOR TO SAVE PREM SPOT
19/05/2026 By Aaron Nijjar
STEPHEN BUNTING is staring at the prospect of missing out on next year’s Premier League unless he can rescue his season with a major title.
The Bullet sits seventh in the table heading into the final week of the tournament at Sheffield, where he faces Jonny Clayton on Thursday night.
The world No9 won Night Four in Belfast earlier this year, offering hope that he could finally establish himself in the competition after finishing bottom of the standings in 2025.
But Bunting has struggled to build momentum since that memorable triumph and has also failed to reach a quarter-final on the big TV stage this campaign.
Former BDO World Champ Mark Webster believes Bunting’s hopes of keeping his place among darts’ elite are hanging by a thread.
He told PaddyPower: “It’s been a brilliant campaign for Jonny Clayton and, obviously, another disappointing one for Stephen Bunting.
“It looks hard to see a way back for Stephen into the Premier League next year unless he wins a major title over the next six-or-so months.
“Jonny’s just been professional. He’s made sure he’s hammered home any advantage he gets and I can see him doing that again on Thursday.
“I think Clayton wins but I can see this being close. Stephen’s been okay and this could go all the way with Jonny winning a final-leg decider.”
Webster has backed Luke Humphries to get back-to-back Nightly wins as he looks to finish third in the table and avoid Luke Littler in the semi-finals at the O2.
Humphries faces a tricky opener against Michael van Gerwen, but Webster reckons the Dutch star could take his eye off the ball with virtually nothing left to play for before Finals Night.
He added: “I fancy Luke Humphries to win because of the scenario of where the competition is at.
“I’m not saying Michael van Gerwen is going to be disinterested but there are bigger fish to fry for him.
“It’s not that he’s taken his foot off the gas in the Premier League, but his priority this season is maintaining his ranking because he’s under real threat in terms of his top 10, and maybe even top 16, position.
“MvG may not have that fire in the belly while Humphries will want to get himself into third to avoid playing Littler in the semi finals next week.
“It wasn’t just the fact that Humphries won last week it was the manner, it was impressive.
“He’s been playing well on the Pro Tour again and I can just seem him finding a way to win this week. He’s in a good place and I’m backing him to go back-to-back here in Sheffield.”
Image by Taylor Lanning.
