"If I was Stephen now, I’d say you’ve just got to relax" - Luke Littler gives advice to struggling Bunting

What was supposed to be a fantastic experience is quickly turning into a nightmare for Stephen Bunting. After eight of the sixteen nights in the Premier League Darts, the 39-year-old Englishman is still searching for his first victory. Last Thursday, 'The Bullet' hit rock bottom with a crushing 6-0 defeat against Luke Littler.

Bunting has now gone twelve matches without a win in the Premier League Darts. His last victory came in 2015 when he convincingly defeated Gary Anderson 7-1 in Cardiff. During the Covid-affected tournament in 2020, he did manage a 6-6 draw against Rob Cross in Liverpool, but that was a one-off appearance as a 'contender.'

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The worst losing streak in Premier League history belongs to Peter Wright, who went thirteen matches without a win across the 2019 and 2020 editions. If Bunting loses to Nathan Aspinall next Thursday in Berlin, he will equal that unenviable record set by the Scotsman.

Stephen Bunting stands disconsolately at the bottom of the Premier League Darts standings

Last Thursday, Bunting was as mentioned, thrashed 6-0 by eventual nightly winner Luke Littler in the quarterfinals in Newcastle. Afterwards though, the world champion shared a word of advice for his struggling rival.

“Obviously, Steve’s struggling at the minute. Once he gets that first win, I’m sure he’ll win quite a few in the Premier League. I think we’re halfway through now. I think last week he said he’s putting too much pressure on himself. Obviously, without a win in eight weeks," Littler assesses. "If I was Stephen now, I’d say you’ve just got to relax. You’ve just got to say, come on, just win that first game. And I’m sure once he gets that first win and gets that winning feeling, then he’ll go on. Hopefully, I think he could win a night.”

With Littler himself sitting pretty at the top of the league table, the world champion two is having no trouble at all finding the winning feeling. 

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