He set up a semi with Humphries but failed to back up his opening win, having missed match dart on the bull, before ‘Cool Hand’ made 140 and 120 checkouts and held his nerve in a decider.

At this point Mardle accused Van Gerwen of “slightly losing the plot” on commentary, before Sky pundit Mark Webster added: “He (Van Gerwen) will be frustrated because he played well. Michael put a lot into tonight and played unbelievably to withstand the barrage of Luke Littler.

“He should have won that game and he will be hurting. He will be fuming in the backroom.”

Only a few moments earlier Mardle was describing Van Gerwen’s performance, while up 4-3 against Humphries, as the “best he has played in recent years”.

But the three-time world champion capitulated, missing seven doubles in three visits to win the eighth leg, as Humphries broke back.

Van Gerwen fell apart as Humphries nailed Shanghai to move 5-4 up, hitting T20, 20, D20, and although the veteran player had a chance to break Humphries in the decider – could not check out on 130.

“I can only blame myself for this again,” Van Gerwen told Viaplay. “There was one the better player and that was me. They just don’t have anything to say to me tonight, but I let myself down.

“Maybe that’s the process I’m in right now. It does me a lot of good to see that I’m on the right track. I just have to see this through, then I can show a lot of great things in this Premier League. I feel good.

“We know I come from very far and this [beating Littler] is another highlight, although I could have finished it earlier.

“This is the opening of the Premier League Darts, a tough match, because we know what that boy can do. Then it gives a lot of satisfaction when you polish him for a while. But I have nothing yet, except two points.”

Humphries leads the way after a dominant 6-1 final victory over Chris Dobey.