How Has Darren Bent's Goal Changed Aston Villa and Man City's Seasons?

Darren Bent's tireless performance saw him score on his Aston Villa debut. Photo:BBC Sport

Darren Bent scoring on his Aston Villa debut was never in doubt, but has the £24m Striker's goal buried Man City's title hopes in this Premier League campaign? It seemed fitting that Villa's record purchase won the game despite only touching the ball 27 times in 94 minutes; demonstrating what he does best with so few touches of the ball. Brian Kidd summarised Man City's performance as "lackluster", suggesting they will bounce back from the defeat. Whilst I do not disagree with Kidd's comments, I do think the title hopes that certainly were existent are now all but gone for Man City. As for Villa, the Man City win should provide them with a solid basis upon which to turn their season around.

Darren Bent at Aston Villa…Fantastic! However, why was Martin O’Neill not given £18m for a Striker?

Darren Bent’s impending move to Aston Villa this afternoon has filled me with excitement. As a Aston Villa fan, I have been begging for the club to sign a striker with a proven record of scoring goals in the Premier League. If this transfer was to go through we would certainly be getting a Striker with an excellent track receord. TalkSport presenter and ex-Villain Stan Collymore however seems to be against the move, suggesting that the transfer is an act of desperation from Villa. So, why is Randy Lerner spending a reported £18m (rising to £24m) on Bent when he did not appear to show the such faith in Martin O'Neill?

Darren Bent has proven he is a class act in the Premier League. Photo: Guardian