"In two weeks it will all be forgotten, no one will remember it and we'll all move on": Luke Humphries sees Littler-Van Veen incident as soon-to-be old news

Luke Humphries’ Premier League Darts title defense is under serious pressure. Where the Englishman was the standout last year and crowned himself champion, he finds himself in a completely different position this season. With only a few nights remaining, Humphries sits just sixth in the table and must pull out all the stops to secure his place in the coveted top four — and thus a spot in the play-offs.

After ten nights of the Premier League Darts 2026, Humphries has collected 11 points. That leaves him facing a small but crucial deficit to his rivals. Gian van Veen currently occupies fifth with 12 points, while Michael van Gerwen holds fourth and is therefore on course for the play-offs in London. The situation makes it clear that every match from now on carries huge weight for the reigning champion.

Strikingly, Humphries has yet to win a single night this season. In the Premier League Darts, where extra points are awarded per night, that matters greatly. Players like Luke Littler (three nightly wins), Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton (both two wins) have built a clear lead as a result. Stephen Bunting has also already claimed a night.

For Humphries, the issue is less about his level and more about results at decisive moments. He has reached just one final so far, on Night 6 in Nottingham, but lost tamely 6-1 to Clayton. Beyond that, he has exited too early too often, costing him valuable points.

With Night 11 in Brighton up next, a crucial phase of his campaign begins. It’s the very venue where he produced a magical moment last year with a nine-darter against Rob Cross. But nostalgia alone won’t help him this time; results are all that matter now.

Humphries is all too aware of that himself. Ahead of the tenth night, he spoke openly about the pressure on his shoulders. "It's a game I probably have to win," he said pre-Brighton. "It's probably getting to the point of no return, where you can't really be losing games in the first round.

The quarterfinal against Clayton is immediately of major importance. The Welshman started the season strongly and won his opening match six weeks in a row, but has since seen his lead shrink. He remains a dangerous opponent, especially given his previous win over Humphries in the Nottingham final.

Humphries does not shy away from how vital this clash is. "You can leave it too late. I don't really have to win the night, I just have to keep winning that first game and maybe win one night at least. That seems to be the way it's going for me this year, I've got to try and creep in there."

That strategy seems realistic given the standings. The margins are small and one strong night can completely upend the table. At the same time, that only increases the pressure: every missed opportunity can be fatal.

Humphries also reflected on the Luke Littler-Gian van Veen incident which of course was a talking point after this past week in Manchester. But he agreed with Gerwyn Price that it will soon become yesterday's news in time.

"It comes with the territory. You've seen it many times over the years. Players have done it here and there. Sometimes you do things and you think 'oh god I wish I hadn't done that now'. But you're in it.

"It's hot news right now. In two weeks it will all be forgotten, no one will remember it and we'll all move on.

"I don't think needle is necessary for the game. There's nothing wrong with it sometimes. It's not something us players want to encourage. If it happens, it happens."

For Humphries, it’s now about using his experience. As a four-time Premier League semifinalist, he knows what it takes to go deep in this tournament. But where he performed at his absolute peak last year, he now has to scrap just to make the final four.

The coming weeks will decide whether he can successfully defend his title or whether his campaign ends early. One thing is clear: the margin for error has vanished. As he summed it up succinctly: "I just have to keep winning"

With a direct rival like Clayton as the first hurdle in Brighton, Humphries immediately gets the chance to make a statement. If he can win that match and push towards the latter stages of the night, the momentum could quickly shift. But with another early exit, the path to the play-offs becomes close to unachievable.