Unrelenting pressure on Bunting as Premier League heads to Belfast

Stephen Bunting is facing “unrelenting pressure” to kickstart his Premier League campaign ahead of night four in Belfast tomorrow.

The St Helens darter has started this campaign with three consecutive quarter-final losses to sit pointless after the opening three nights, a similar start to last campaign.

This struggle has seen Bunting sit in seventh place, only off the bottom of the table by virtue of a better leg difference than Premier League debutant Josh Rock.

The detriments of another loss

Oche 180 journalist Connor Cain believes Bunting’s faltering performances are a result of the pressures of last year’s struggles and the criticism faced over his controversial inclusion this year.

Cain said: “He’s not entering this campaign in the form of last year and had a poor end to 2025.

“The Premier League consists of the elite and the simple matter is most of his rivals in the competition are simply better at this moment in time.

“I also feel like there is a mental block created by the pressure to perform and prove his doubters wrong.

“Many people questioned The Bullet’s inclusion and combined with his poor showing in last year’s campaign, he will naturally feel unrelenting pressure.”

‘The Bullet’ will look to make amends on Thursday as he faces world number two and reigning Premier League champion Luke Humphries in the quarter-finals.

Humphries himself has only won two games in the opening three weeks, failing to make a nightly final, sitting in fifth place on four points, just outside of the playoff positions.

Humphries’ tough start poses the perfect opportunity for Bunting to capitalise and kickstart his own season.

Cain believes a win for Bunting is vital for his season after a poor end to 2025, with another loss potentially damaging with his struggle for form.

Cain said: “This [recent form] is symptomatic of a mental block given the difficult conditions around him and this will only be exasperated the longer he remains without a point.

“Bunting needs points quick.

“I fear that four weeks without a win may put the play-offs out of reach already and will jeopardise future Premier League invites for a long time.”

Littler under pressure?

Bunting is not the only Merseyside darter under pressure with world champion Luke Littler still struggling to kickstart his campaign.

Littler and Bunting face early Premier League pressure in Glasgow

Littler has only won one match this Premier League season, a 6-5 win over Humphries on night two, having received a bye after Michael Van Gerwen’s withdrawal in Glasgow last week.

Littler was comprehensively beaten 6-1 by Glasgow’s nightly winner and current table topper Jonny Clayton in the semi-finals after the bye.

‘The Nuke’ faces a rematch against Clayton in the opening quarter-final of the evening and sits on the same side of the draw as Bunting and Humphries.

Despite his lacklustre Premier League start, Littler started the European Tour on fire by winning the first-ever Poland Darts Open on Sunday.

Littler overcame a nine-darter from fellow Premier League participant Gian Van Veen to win 8-4 in Sunday’s final.

The other side of the draw sees the returning Van Gerwen take on Gerwyn Price, Northern Ireland’s own Josh Rock takes on Van Veen in the final quarter-final of the night.

(Featured image by Alex Parker)