Bent’s stats match the top strikers

DARREN BENT made a telling contribution in a high-profile Premier League match on Saturday but, not for the first time in his career, the most gushing plaudits were lavished elsewhere. The story of his life, one could say.

Dimitar Berbatov, Robin van Persie and Fernando Torres shared eight goals and a host of glowing reviews between them. Rightly so, but while Bent continues to operate in the shadows of his more illustrious contemporaries, the hard facts suggest that Aston Villa's new £24m man deserves a generous helping of the accolades too.

Only Didier Drogba (37) and Carlos Tevez (37) have scored more Premier League goals than Bent (33) since the beginning of last season. And since the start of 2005-06 not a single player has outgunned a centre-forward whose debut strike against Manchester City on Saturday was his 82nd top-flight goal in that period (the same tally that Drogba and Wayne Rooney have each amassed during that same timeframe).

The level of opposition against which Bent regularly scores should not go unnoticed either. Last season he found the target against each of the top four — champions Chelsea (home and away), Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham. He didn't register against 5th-placed Manchester City, but he has done this term — for both Sunderland and Villa.

His Premier League goal return has been swelled by a number of penalties — eight in the last two seasons — but finishing from 12 yards is still a challenge strikers can choose to avoid or accept and fail.

Talking of penalties, Fulham are no longer the only Premier League team not to have been awarded one in any competition this season, after Clint Dempsey converted against Stoke on Saturday. Arsenal, in comparison, were handed their 13th spot kick of the campaign against Wigan. With all that practice one would assume they'd be getting quite good at taking them; apparently not. Van Persie's miss means that four Arsenal players have fluffed a free shot this term, which would make for an interesting shoot-out if Ipswich somehow go the distance in Tuesday's Carling Cup semi-final second leg at the Emirates.

NUMBERS: 17 Goals in 19 Premier League apps for Dimitar Berbatov this season

5 Goals for Charlie Adam this season - all penalties

3 Red cards for Ryan Shawcross in the last 11 months

2 Caldwell brothers started Wigan's game at Arsenal

1 Caldwell brother finished Wigan's game at Arsenal