Gian van Veen has launched a stinging criticism of Luke Littler, branding the world number one "out of order" and "not a good loser" after a heated confrontation during their Premier League darts quarter-final clash in Manchester. The ill-tempered spat erupted at the AO Arena, overshadowing Van Veen's dramatic 6-5 victory over Littler, who had been aiming for a third consecutive Premier League win.
Fiery Exchange Mars Tense Match
The controversy unfolded in the closing stages of the tightly contested match. With Van Veen attempting to secure a notable win on double 15, he missed his shot, prompting Littler to celebrate aggressively towards the crowd. The Dutch player took exception to this behaviour, describing it as abnormal and disrespectful.
"I'm on 90, I miss double 15 on the inside, and then I see him celebrating towards the crowd. I don't think that's normal," Van Veen told Sky Sports after the match. "And then he also makes that crying gesture. He's a fantastic darts player, but today he showed he's not a good loser. Celebrating a miss from your opponent, that really annoys me."
Littler's Mocking Gesture Adds Fuel to Fire
Littler compounded the tension by mimicking a crying motion directed at Van Veen, who eventually closed out the match with a double six. The pair exchanged only a brief handshake afterward, with Van Veen visibly upset by the world champion's conduct.
"He was celebrating me missing double 15. That's out of order. I was fuming about that," the 23-year-old Dutchman added, while also acknowledging Littler's contributions to the sport. "I love Luke to bits, he's a fantastic player and guy for the sport and to see all the attention he's brought to it is phenomenal, but this is also part of it as well and today was my day."
Littler's Social Media Response
Littler responded to Van Veen's comments on Instagram, posting quotes from the interview accompanied by three crying-with-laughter emojis, suggesting he found the criticism amusing rather than concerning.
Match Context and Aftermath
The quarter-final loss ended Littler's hopes of claiming a third straight Premier League victory, having previously surged to the top of the standings with back-to-back wins in Dublin and Berlin. The Warrington native, a devoted Manchester United fan, had recovered from 4-3 down in the match but ultimately couldn't find the answers when it mattered most.
Van Veen, who hadn't won a match since week four of the competition and is still recovering from kidney stones that forced him to miss the Dublin event, showed remarkable resilience. He served notice of his intent with a bullseye to seal a 128 checkout for a break of throw in the third leg and nearly opened up a 5-1 lead before Littler's comeback.
Van Veen Advances Despite Controversy
Putting the confrontation behind him, Van Veen delivered another excellent performance to defeat Josh Rock 6-3 in the semi-finals. However, he fell short in the final, losing 6-2 to an inspired Gerwyn Price, who had previously beaten Luke Humphries and Stephen Bunting by identical scorelines.
Price, who imitated Littler's fishing celebration during his own 170 checkout against Bunting, offered some perspective on the incident. "Just a bit of fun, nothing too out of order I don't think," he said of his own celebration, before expressing sympathy for Littler.
"Things like this happen in darts. I'm sure in a couple of weeks it'll be done and dusted," Price commented. "Emotions are up and down and people get hyped up. I've been there, the backlash off it. Probably Luke will have a little bit of it. I feel for the kid at the minute."
Standings Implications
With his victory, Price moved up to second place in the Premier League table, just two points behind Littler. The Welshman expressed satisfaction with his performance, noting: "I've won tonight, that's all I'm bothered about. Five points, £10,000 in the bank and I'm up to number two above Jonny (Clayton), so I'm happy."
The incident has sparked debate about sportsmanship in professional darts, with Van Veen's comments highlighting the fine line between competitive passion and disrespectful behaviour in high-stakes matches.
