LITTLER STORMS OFF AFTER ANGRY VAN VEEN CLASH

By Phil Lanning

LUKE LITTLER stormed off stage after his six-match Premier League unbeaten run was ended in ANGRY scenes.

The teen sensation had a fiery exchange with rival Gian van Veen before losing 6-5 in Manchester on Thursday night. 

The big Dutchman appeared to turn round and stare out Littler after missing double 15 to win the match. 

That infuriated the world champion who flung his arms up in the air and then wound up his home fans. 

Littler then fluffed his chance to win after missing double seven and going inside the wire. The Nuke then did a crying gesture aimed at Van Veen. 

Van Veen hit double six to win the clash, the pair shook hands briefly as Littler rapidly left the stage muttering to himself. 

Littler had won the previous two nights in Berlin and Dublin to go top of the league. But he has now lost both his Premier League clashes with Van Veen this year, having thrashed the Dutchman in the World Championship final in early January. 

Pundit Wayne Mardle said: “I know exactly what happened, I watched it.  

“Gian went inside the 15 and Luke was happy about that. So he kind of gave it the Simon Whitlock well done. You shouldn’t do that.  

“As he did that, Gian turned round. As he turned round he’s like ‘why did you do that?’  

“I can lip read but I’m not repeating what Luke Littler said. I don’t want to hand in my notice! 

“With that situation, you’ve got to say Gian handled it better because Luke came back to the board and fluffed his lines.  

“He got a bit aggressive on the double seven. Gian van Veen won the game in the end. He held it together really well there.”

The Nuke seemed dead and buried at 4-1 and then 5-3 down. But another miracle comeback looked on the cards. 

Van Veen missed a match dart to win 6-4 and Littler soon it 5-5 before all the last leg drama unfolded. 

Earlier Littler had admitted that he would GIVE UP all his trophies bar the world titles for Manchester United to win the treble.  

Littler said: “United to win a treble? I’d give them everything apart from the two Worlds. Everything to see a treble. But we’ll be back, we’ll get a treble. 

“Winning the league, I’d give them the Matchplay trophy. Not giving those Worlds away.”

On his sluggish start to the season, he added: “It was a slow start. The first four weeks I felt great but I wasn’t performing at my best that’s why I was losing games and seventh in the table at one point. 

“I’ve found my form back, now I’m top of the table and they’ve got to chase me.”