Steve Bruce has played down fears that Darren Bent could miss the start of the new season.
Black Cats boss confident striker will be fit for season start
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has played down fears that Darren Bent could miss the start of the new season.
The 26-year-old striker was forced to sit out the Black Cats' 2-0 defeat to Benfica on Wednesday, as they brought the curtain down on their pre-season tour of Portugal.
His absence sparked speculation that he was facing up to a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
That would be the last thing Sunderland need, as they rely heavily on Bent to provide them with a cutting edge.
He scored 25 goals in all competitions for the club last season, providing an instant return on the £10million it cost to lure him away from Tottenham.
Niggles
Had he been forced to miss the start of the 2010/11 campaign, the Black Cats would have been lacking an attacking spark.
Bruce, though, is adamant that Bent was rested against Benfica as a precaution and is confident he will be ready to face Birmingham in their Premier League opener on 14th August.
"Darren's fine, but he's got a couple of minor niggles and it wasn't worth risking him," he said in the
Sunderland Echo.
"The situation did at least allow us to experiment with a 4-5-1 formation and explore that.
"It was a good game and it has been a good trip."
Bruce also revealed that a slight knock picked up by his other leading marksman, Kenwyne Jones, is nothing to worry about.
He added: "He's twisted his knee a little, but he'll be fine."
