Luke Littler aims a jab at Nottingham Forest fans and is met with boos

Luke Littler delivered a cheeky dig during Night Six of the Premier League Darts in Nottingham. The 19-year-old world champion first won a heated quarterfinal against Gerwyn Price, but later in the evening lost to Luke Humphries. Even so, the post-match focus also turned to his interaction with the crowd, which made itself heard throughout a fiery night at the Motorpoint Arena.

Littler has long been known for not shying away from confrontation with supporters. The young Englishman often reacts to noise from the stands and regularly plays to the atmosphere, something that was once again plain to see in Nottingham at the Premier League.

The quarterfinal against Gerwyn Price turned into a thriller decided only in the final leg. Littler ultimately edged it 6-5, but the match did not pass without irritation.

During the match, the teenager frequently heard whistles from the stands. When, in a key leg, he finally found double 20 after several missed darts at doubles, he reacted fiercely toward the crowd. With a roar and a gesture to the tribune, he made it clear he would not be knocked out of his focus. The response added extra spice in the arena, where the crowd remained vociferous throughout the evening.

Littler also made his presence felt before his semifinal against Luke Humphries. As he walked on stage, he seemed already aware that Nottingham Forest had lost in the Europa League that same evening.

When the camera focused on him during his walk-on, Littler raised a finger to signal 1-0, lifted his eyebrows, and then gave a double thumbs down. The gesture was a clear reference to Forest’s defeat to FC Midtjylland earlier in the evening.

The Danish club won the first leg of the Europa League round of 16 by the narrowest of margins, despite Forest creating plenty of chances. The Nottingham side has been in a difficult spell for weeks, with a winless run and mounting pressure on the coaching staff.

The arena crowd responded immediately to Littler’s gesture, which drew both laughter and whistles. The teenager appeared unfazed and visibly relished the interaction with the fans.