City alert on Bent
Manchester City are determined to prevent lightning from striking twice when they line up against Darren Bent and his new club Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.
Bent, who moved to Villa in a shock 24-million-pound transfer from Sunderland this week, has already tasted victory over City this season, scoring an injury-time penalty in a 1-0 win at the Stadium of Light in August.
The 26-year-old striker has been saddled with the responsibility of scoring the goals that will preserve Aston Villa's Premier League survival after a poor start to the season that has left the club hovering above the drop zone.
Bent will line up against a City side that has not kept a clean sheet since a dour 0-0 draw against Arsenal earlier this month.
Since then City have leaked seven goals in three matches, including three against struggling Wolves at Eastlands last weekend.
The bad news for Bent is that Villa have the second worst defensive record in the league, and were routed 4-0 by City as recently as December.
Manchester United, level on points with City but with two games in hand, will keep their noses in front provided they beat Birmingham.
United's healthy position at the top of the table is made even all the more remarkable for the fact they remain unbeaten past the season's halfway mark.
Arsenal meanwhile will attempt to build on a stylish midweek dismissal of Leeds in the FA Cup as they take on struggling Wigan at the Emirates.
Fixtures
(1500 GMT unless stated):
Saturday
Arsenal v Wigan, Aston Villa v Man City (1730), Blackpool v Sunderland, Everton v West Ham, Fulham v Stoke, Man Utd v Birmingham, Newcastle v Tottenham, Wolves v Liverpool (1245)
Sunday
Blackburn v West Brom (1600)
Monday
Chelsea v Bolton (2000)
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