Unlucky Bent to get World Cup snub?

Darren Bent has blasted 20 Premier League goals for Sunderland this season, yet he is unlikely to make Fabio Capello’s England squad.

It’s a strange situation for the former Tottenham frontman, but not an unfamiliar one as he was left out of Sven-Goran Eriksson’s World Cup squad in 2006 after blasting 18 top-flight goals for Charlton. This term Bent has been in terrific form but with competition for striking roles intense Bent faces a tough task to make the plane to South Africa.

Only Wayne Rooney and Didier Drogba can top Bent’s efforts in this season’s scoring charts, but the Sunderland striker is yet to convince Capello of his class on the international stage and was not included in the squad for the recent Wembley friendly with Egypt. Barring injury Rooney is a shoo-in to make the finals, so Capello has to decide which other three or four frontmen will accompany him.

Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch, Emile Heskey, Carlton Cole, Theo Walcott and even Bobby Zamora are all in the hunt for a place in the 23-man squad. But the odds looked stacked against Bent, who has down the years come under fire for missing gilt-edged chances. His link-up play has also been scrutinised in the past, but he looks an improved player this season and more importantly he is confident and bang in form – just what Capello is hunting for.

It would be another hard luck story if Bent, who had a goal chalked off for offside on Wednesday, was overlooked again considering he has scored 69 top flight goals since arriving back in the Premier League and only Rooney and Crisitano Ronaldo can better that record.