In-form Sunderland goal-scorer Darren Bent should go to the
World Cup as he is the equal of any English striker, Black Cats
defender Anton Ferdinand has claimed.
Bent hit a hat-trick against Bolton on Tuesday to end
Sunderland's 14-match winless run and take his personal goal tally
to 19 for the season, putting him on the verge of becoming the
first Stadium of Light striker to notch 20 strikes in a season
since Kevin Phillips in 1999-2000.
And Ferdinand believes such form makes Bent as good as any
predator in the Premier League, including Manchester United and
England star Wayne Rooney, who has 30 goals already this term.
South-Africa bound? Darren Bent scores one of three
goals against Bolton
Red-hot: Wayne Rooney scores against AC
Milan
Ferdinand also praised Bent's developing partnership with fellow
forward Kenwyne Jones and insisted that if Bent continues his hot
streak in front of goal then he is a must to board the plane for
South Africa this summer.
'Darren is right up there with any other striker in the Premier
League,' he said. 'His record in the Premier League shows that.
It's incredible really.
'He's up there with the best, but it's not just about the goals,
it's his all-round game. It's coming together, and he's coming
together as a pair with Kenwyne, which is nice to see.
'It's like everyone who's English and has a chance of getting
into that World Cup squad, all they have to do is keep playing well
for their club. If they do that, you can't ignore people doing
well.'