Luke Littler has no regrets for the way he reacted to the hostile fans as he reached the quarter-finals at Alexandra Palace. But the world champion expects “the worst” as he prepares to face the crowd again. Littler was booed and jeered during in his 4-2 defeat of Rob Cross and could be landed with a similar reaction, as punishment, in his last eight match against Krzysztof Ratajski on New Year’s Day.

But The Nuke said: “That’s the first time I’ve been at the World Championship and the crowd haven’t wanted me to win. “I expect the worst on New Year’s Day, wherever I do play. And whatever happens, happens. I’m ready for New Year’s Day. It was just pure emotion. I said what I said.

“I was going to say it last year at some point, but the fans, they pay for the tickets. Pretty much they’re paying for our prize money. So I’m not regretting anything.”

It was very much out of character at the end of the match as Littler’s emotion seemed to get the better of him as he gestured to the crowd.

“I can learn a lot.” said Littler. “I can learn how to deal with the crowds a bit better, not let as much emotion out. Just keep it all in me until that final dart.”

Littler, 18, still averaged 106.58 and knows it might have been different in the past.

He said: “Two years ago, I think I would have started throwing my darts left-handed, to be honest. But that’s how much I’ve grown. That’s how much I’ve matured. And people might not say I’m mature, but try to be in my position.

”The fans, they’ve done what they’ve done. I’ve reacted as any other player would really. I might have reacted a bit too early on after that first set and then when I come on for the second set they are still at it. But I just had to get on with the job.”

“Obviously, like I said there, they want the underdog to win. They want the favourites to go out. And yeah, I just had to get out of the way and get my job done.”

It was a superb match and Littler once more showed his quality on the greatest darts stage of them all. His 17 180s was a record for the tournament upto Monday night along with his superb average.

World No 1 Littler added: “From the start I wasn’t thinking about averages or 180s or anything like that because I said pre-match that Rob’s not going to play anywhere near what he has been doing and that’s why he’s nearly put a 99 against me. I just had to get him out the way and then the stats, it’s good to see. But when you’re in a game like that you’re just fully focused on winning legs.

“I’m only a few games away from lifting the trophy once again. But the performance (on Monday) just really doesn’t feel like a 106 and a half because it was just that much adrenaline going through me, that much emotion, the anger. But I can say I’m glad that I won.”