Luke Littler LOSES first Premier League Darts clash as Michael Van Gerwen gets revenge for World Championship final

LUKE LITTLER’s Premier League title defence was sunk by Michael van Gerwen – a day after he was ticked off for his tardy time-keeping.

A stone’s throw from where the Titanic set sail more than a century ago, The Nuke scored zero points in his opening game of this year’s tournament – despite his extraordinary 113.91 average.

Two darts players embracing after a match. — Luke Littler suffered a defeat to Michael van Gerwen in his opening Premier League Darts match

The defending Prem champion was branded “lazy” by an annoyed Van Gerwen on Wednesday after he turned up late for a group photoshoot because he had overslept – while seven stars were left standing in the cold.

Van Gerwen, 35, claimed the PDC “need to stop treating him as a baby” and the sport’s biggest name should act like a man after recently turning 18.

Littler accepted that responsibility but was unable to let his darts do the talking in front of 9,000 fans at the SSE Arena in the Northern Ireland capital.

Though he managed to level up at 5-5 after Van Gerwen missed multiple match darts, the world No.2 missed a key treble in leg 11 and that proved his downfall.

Littler showed there was no lingering problem as he told the crowd to be quiet as Mighty Mike nailed double eight for a 6-5 quarter-final win.

It was the first time in five meetings that Van Gerwen had beaten the Warrington lad and their second encounter since the World final at Ally Pally on January 3.

Before the game, Littler was asked about THAT photoshoot incident and he said: “I always let my darts do the talking, but he’s not wrong.

“I was late and now I’m 18, I’m responsible for my actions and I did get a little telling off.”

Wayne Mardle was on Sky Sports commentary duties for this Grudge Match.

It was his return to TV screens after the death of his wife Donna, who passed away aged 52 following a short illness before Christmas.

Mardle, 51, missed the entire PDC World Darts Championship on compassionate grounds.

The former world championship semi-finalist had wanted a low-key comeback – no fanfare or big announcement – and he will form part of the team for the 17-week road show.

Meanwhile, Luke Humphries says friendly fire will continue on the darts oche – even though the vicious verbals have happened off it this week.

When Phil Taylor ruled the sport, you would not have seen him fist-bumping or high-fiving his rivals when they hit nine-darters or 170 Big Fish checkouts.

But that has crept into the game over the past year or two – as stars show tremendous respect between one another.

Humphries, 29, said: “Maybe it’s because we spend more time with each other and maybe you just get more friendly.

“I think there are certain players you don’t do it with because they’re more strict about it.

“But if you’re playing like Nathan Aspinall or Stephen Bunting, they’re just too nice.

“If you take a good finish out and they give you a fist-bump and then they take a finish out, you think, well, I must do it back.

“I mean, there’s nothing wrong with it. Of course, it is important to make sure that you don’t let it affect your performance. And it is too pally-pally.