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Luke Littler brutally mocks Neal Maupay as Brentford star calls teenager a 'big fish'
Luke Littler and Neal Maupay have traded social media blows following Brentford's draw with Manchester United.
Darts prodigy Luke Littler took aim at Neal Maupay following Brentford's dramatic draw with Manchester United on Saturday, and the Bees striker has struck straight back with a brutal jibe of his own. It's not the first time Maupay has got on the wrong side of a high-profile sports star, having clashed with Tottenham man James Maddison back in January.
Maupay came on as a substitute during Brentford's 1-1 draw with United on Saturday evening. The Bees, who dominated the game, looked set to leave empty-handed when Mason Mount rifled in a stoppage-time goal for the visitors.
But Kristoffer Ajer struck back in the nick of time to rescue a point for Thomas Frank's relegation strugglers, giving Maupay free rein to twist the knife after the game.
Posting a picture of himself and United's Scott McTominay in a mid-match scuffle, during which Maupay's jersey was being pulled, the Brentford wind-up merchant wrote on Instagram: "This fan was desperate for my shirt [laughing emoji]."
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United fan Littler was quick to jump to McTominay's defence, however, brutally commenting: "[He] talks more than he scores." The 17-year-old's response instantly gained traction online, and the war of words was not done there.
Posting a video clip of Littler doing his trademark 'big fish' celebration, which he wheels out after hitting a 170 finish, Maupay referenced the fact that he had reeled the youngster in by writing: "Talk about a big fish."
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Neither Maupay nor Littler has been shy in publicly needling their fellow sports stars over the past few months. Maupay rubbed Maddison up the wrong way by imitating the Spurs midfielder's celebration in a 3-2 defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this campaign.
A brief skirmish on the pitch followed, and Maddison hit back after the match with: "He hasn't scored enough goals to have his own celebration." Not content to let his opponent have the last word, Maupay responded: "More goals and less relegations in my career than James Maddison. We go again Monday, Bees."
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Littler, meanwhile, took a pop at Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp following United's dramatic 4-3 win in the FA Cup quarter-finals earlier this month, writing: "What is the difference between Luke Littler and Jurgen Klopp? Littler has more trebles."
It remains to be seen whether the surreal, budding rivalry between Littler and Maupay will ever be settled for good on the oche or the football pitch.