Michael van Gerwen has called out Gerwyn Price for his hostile relationship with the Alexandra Palace crowd at the World Darts Championship, insisting his rival can only "blame himself".
Price has been one of the most divisive players on the darts tour ever since he famously clashed with Gary Anderson back in 2018.
Seen as a pantomime villain, Price is regularly booed while at the oche and he's admitted that the hostile reception has been challenging to deal with.
At last year's World Championships, Price wore ear defenders to block out the noise.
Michael van Gerwen doesn't agree with Gerwyn Price
PA
And he revealed ahead of his opening match of this year's championships that he was contemplating pulling out of the tournament due to fears of the boos returning.
Price said: "I was turning up to Ally Pally like it was last year and the crowd would be on my back but this year they were brilliant.
"I was a bit apprehensive; I didn't know what would happen.
"I was sat in my house at 6 o'clock [on Sunday] and probably wasn't going to play the tournament."
When asked about Price's comments where he threatened to pull out of the tournament , Van Gerwen quickly interjected to call it "nonsense".
It was also put to the Dutchman about the reception Price sometimes gets from the crowd.
"With all due respect, Gezzy can also blame himself a little bit for getting all the boos," Van Gerwen said.
"If you keep doing this to the crowd, then you're going to get it and I keep telling him that."
Van Gerwen also disagreed with Price's calls for the World Darts Championship to move away from Alexandra Palace.
Gerwyn Price has been booed at Alexandra Palace over the years
PA
Price feels the World Championships should change venue like other sports do for their biggest tournament.
However, Van Gerwen doesn't see the need for the PDC to move away from Alexandra Palace, which has hosted the World Darts Championships since 2008.
"This venue is iconic," he added.
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Gerwyn Price wants the World Darts Championship venue changed
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"Of course it's good to go worldwide but I think the PDC is doing enough with the World Series and events like that."
