Lambert expects Bent to be key

Darren Bent: Tipped to be an influential figure at Villa Park by new boss Paul Lambert

Paul Lambert claims striker Darren Bent will be an "absolutely huge" player for his Aston Villa side in the coming season.

Bent missed the last three months of the 2011/12 campaign after undergoing ankle surgery, and his absence nearly proved costly as the Midlands club flirted with relegation.

But Lambert, who replaced Alex McLeish at the helm last month, is relishing the prospect of unleashing the 28-year-old on the rest of the league next month.

He told Villa's official website: "Darren will be huge, absolutely huge. He's a goalscorer. Every team needs them.

"Darren will be huge, absolutely huge. He's a goalscorer. Every team needs them."
Paul Lambert on Darren Bent Quotes of the week

"You can't just rely on one guy to score you the goals, but his influence at the football club is huge as a result of what he has done in his football career up to now.

"He had a fabulous goalscoring record at Sunderland and if you look at it, his goalscoring career here is phenomenal.

"For England too, he is a threat. He would have gone to the Euros no problem if he had been fit. It is a big plus for us to have him fit."

Bent scored 10 goals for Villa last season before succumbing to injury in February.

He joined the club in a shock £24million switch from Sunderland in January 2011 after netting an impressive 36 goals in 63 appearances for the Black Cats.

• Premier League Top Goalscorer 12/13. Click here to bet.