“If he isn’t performing after four weeks and getting those results, this could be a disastrous season” - Major concerns surrounding Stephen Bunting in Premier League Darts
PDCSunday, 15 February 2026 at 09:12
Stephen Bunting is under the microscope this season in the Premier League Darts. That’s the view of former pro Matt Edgar, who expects the Englishman to truly deliver this year to turn around the negative sentiment surrounding his name.
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‘The Bullet’ opened his campaign with a 6-2 defeat to Michael van Gerwen in Newcastle. Strikingly, Bunting averaged 97.59 and was anything but poor. Yet he again walked away empty-handed. And that, according to experts, is precisely the problem.
Last Thursday he couldn’t halt the negative trend and, in the quarterfinals of Night 2 of the Premier League Darts 2026 in Antwerp, he let a 4-0 lead slip and still lost 6-4 to Jonny Clayton.
The current world number seven endured a difficult start in last year’s weekly roadshow. He lost his first seven matches before finally claiming a nightly win. Although he earned credit at the time from fans and analysts for his solid play, the mood now seems different.
“The crowd is elitist”
According to Edgar, the context has completely changed. "The environment is not the same as last year,” he explains. “He went into it and we hadn’t seen Stephen Bunting for a long time. There was a lot of leeway among fan perception. We gave him a lot of leeway when analysing because he is playing good darts."
But the Premier League Darts is, in Edgar’s view, a ruthless stage. “But the fans, and certainly the Premier League fans, are an elitist audience. All they care about is who wins. That is an elitist fan mentality. With Stephen Bunting, we have seen that he is getting a lot of negativity."
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That shift in public perception can be dangerous, he warns. "To the point where he comes out and thinks, ‘Right, I’ve got a point to prove here.’ If he doesn’t get that across very early, the negativity is going to rise. He is someone who indulges in that and is aware of it."
Edgar even voices concern about how the season could unfold. "I give him four weeks. If he isn’t performing after four weeks and getting those results, this could be a disastrous season."
Stephen Bunting remains empty-handed after two nights in the Premier League Darts 2026
Pressure is mounting
Darts content creator Charlie Murphy also sees the tension rising around Bunting. He believes the opening night was pivotal. "I think night one was very important for Stephen Bunting and it didn’t go his way," said Murphy.
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Although Van Gerwen played strongly, Murphy feels it’s mainly about Bunting himself. "Michael van Gerwen was good but I think Stephen Bunting needs the confidence and next week is going to be absolutely crucial for him."
Murphy points out that a repeat of last year could be ruinous. "It can’t go on like last year, getting no wins for seven weeks before he picked up a victory. He cannot leave it that late."
Notably, few analysts criticise Bunting’s level. With an average of nearly 98 against Van Gerwen and close to 100 against Clayton, he showed his base game is excellent. "He is not playing bad darts" Murphy emphasised. "He is one of the best players in the world. He needs the confidence to get the wins.”
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Lucas MichaelDarts Journalist
Lucas Michael is a darts journalist and reporter based in Cambridge, UK, and has been part of the DartsNews team since 2025. He covers professional darts through reports, analysis, round-ups, and live coverage, with a focus on clear context and accurate reporting across the PDC calendar.
A key part of his work is liveblogging major tournaments throughout the year, providing real-time updates, match coverage, and contextual reporting across the professional circuit. He also reports regularly from events on site and has covered the PDC World Darts Championship from the venue, delivering first-hand insight throughout the tournament.
Within the newsroom, Lucas works closely with the editorial team and supports coverage alongside Chief Content Officer Samuel Gill and reporter Kieran Wood.
Lucas holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. In his work, he places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating content promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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