Manchester United’s on-field woes were brutally highlighted during Sky Sports’ coverage of Premier League Darts.
The Red Devils were the target of a cheeky jibe during Luke Littler’s match with Stephen Bunting in Exeter on Thursday, prompting a tongue-in-cheek apology from Wayne Mardle.
United fan Littler took on Liverpool supporter Bunting during the night four quarter-final clash having already triumphed on week two in Glasgow.
The reigning world champion got the better of an out-of-form Bunting winning 6-3, but his victory resulted in lead commentator Stuart Pyke taking a dig at Ruben Amorim’s side.
During a discussion about Bunting’s tough start to his Premier League campaign which has seen him lose all four of his matches so far, Pyke said: “Bunting here, if he loses tonight, it’ll be four defeats on the trot. That’s still a long way off the worst losing streak in this format.
“Peter Wright, spread over two years, lost nine on the trot. Our friend Duzza (Glen Durrant) also lost nine on the trot in a previous format.”
Mardle who was on co-commentary duties replied: “Well we’ve been joshing earlier about how it can’t go on like this can it? But it can, and it might tonight, we don’t know.”
Pyke then responded: “At this level, you’re getting a tough test every week. There’s no relief.” To which Mardle added: “There’s no let-up. It’s relentless.”
Then, Pyke upped the ante saying: “You don’t get a game against Man United thrown in in the Premier League do you? To ease the pressure.”
Mardle was heard chuckling before saying: “To everyone who is offended by that, we’re sorry!”
United’s catastrophic Premier League season has seen them become the butt of jokes having won just nine of their 28 league games.
That has left Amorim’s side in 14th place and 14 points adrift of a place in the top four.
GettyUnited fan Luke Littler would not have taken kindly to Pyke’s cheeky jibe[/caption]
United look set to miss out on European football next season unless they win the Europa League to earn a place in the Champions League.
Failure to qualify for Europe could have dire consequences for Amorim’s hopes of rebuilding his squad with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) continuing to play havoc with transfers.
Darts commentator Pyke later added: “Emma Paton’s (Man United fan and Darts presenter) looking at me very strange. No doubt Mark Webster will be later. But no seriously we talk about no easy games at this level, but this is the epitome of that.”
Mardle then warned Bunting: “If you do get off to a poor start and it just carries on, you sometimes can’t even imagine winning again. Been there, seen that, done it!”
Bunting is currently bottom of the standing and without a win after four nights of play.
He will be hoping to get off the mark in Brighton next week as he takes on fifth placed Nathan Aspinall.
GettyMuch like Man United, Stephen Bunting has much work to do to turn around his Premier League fortunes[/caption]
Meanwhile, Littler’s defeat to Luke Humphries in Thursday’s final sees him sit in second place behind the 2024 world champion.