Wayne Mardle has expressed concern over Luke Humphries' on-stage behavior, suggesting it could hinder his bid for a Premier League Darts play-off spot. The Sky Sports analyst highlighted that Humphries, the reigning champion, has endured a difficult start to the 2026 season, still waiting for his first nightly title after nine nights. In Manchester, he suffered a setback with a 6-2 quarterfinal loss to Gerwyn Price, leaving him with only one final appearance so far and sitting sixth in the standings, outside the top four.
Mardle pinpointed the issue as mental rather than technical. "What I didn't like tonight was that he kept berating himself way too often," he said. "Every time he missed a treble actually, which is not like him." He speculated that this could indicate mounting pressure, adding, "So I don't know if he is feeling under pressure, I have no idea. I don't know if it is table-oriented. I don't know if it's the fact that he should be winning." Despite this, Mardle affirmed Humphries' quality, stating, "But when he is at it he will win. He's got to be confident and he is still in a good position."
The former pro believes the key lies in the final stretch of the campaign. "It is still in his hands and there are still enough points to pick up. If he plays well for the run-in and I don't mean from next week, the last four or five weeks, I think he will be absolutely fine," Mardle said. He also expects a tight battle for the top four, noting, "To me, it feels like there is only one position. Don't rule out Van Veen, Michael van Gerwen, Humphries." He added that other names remain in contention, saying, "I am not saying Bunting cannot get in there. Rock just kind of wants to get himself going again."
Mardle emphasized that the schedule in the closing weeks will be decisive. "Come that last week or penultimate week of the league phase, it is going to be paramount who you are playing. Not just who you beat, who you are playing. If you beat the right people, you are laughing," he analysed. He warned about direct rivals, noting, "When you are chasing that play-off place, you cannot lose to those above you until maybe the last week, where someone has sailed off into the sunset." Humphries gets his next chance on Thursday, 04/09/2026, in Brighton, where he faces Jonny Clayton in the quarterfinals.
