Aston Villa 3-2 Norwich: Sunday Mirror match report

If Fabio Capello asks Darren Bent who he’d like as his front partner he’ll get a simple answer – Gabby Agbonlahor.

Bent has forced himself to the front of the England manager’s thinking since his £24million move to Aston Villa a year ago.

And as Capello ­contemplates today how to make up for missing Wayne Rooney in next summer’s European Championship then he’s got a ready-made claret and blue answer.

The two of them tore ­Norwich apart after a ­brilliant Anthony Pilkington free-kick had given Norwich an early lead. And they might just get the chance to take on tougher opposition at Wembley next Saturday when Spain come to town.

Agbonlahor, who now has five goals for the season (the same as Bent), was in line for a recall to Capello’s squad last month but had to pull out because of a back

injury.

But he’ll be fit and flying this week. Norwich’s Leon Barnett will testify to that.

Barnett’s back pass to his goalkeeper John Ruddy three minutes after the break would have been struck more than strongly enough if any normal ­Premier League striker was chasing it.

But Agbonlahor (right) was so quick he ended up

beating Ruddy in a tackle before rolling the ball into an empty net.

By then he’d already made the 30th-minute equaliser for Bent, dashing down the left wing at top speed before firing in a left-foot cross for a tap-in.

And just to rub in his ­potential when Capello ­watches the tapes of this game he then set up Bent’s second of the day with a right-footed cross in the 61st minute.

His boss Alex McLeish said: “On that kind of form Gabby has got to have caught the eye. His performance lifted the team and the crowd when we needed it.

“I told him before the game that I expected him to play well, that he’s been on the sort of form that people could look to him, and he didn’t see that as pressure but saw it as a ­challenge

“There’s great development there between him and ­Darren Bent, and with the other front ­players too.”

The last of his three caps came in 2009 against ­Belarus, ironically one of his others was against next week’s

opponents Spain in 2008. But while he might lack Rooney’s technique, his partnership with Bent, who now has 14 goals from 26 games since his January move, seems to be

getting better every week.

Norwich manager Paul Lambert summed up the game, saying: “We stuck at it well but you cannot give goals away like their second one. That put us on the back foot. Leon should simply have put the ball in row Z.

‘‘If there’s any grey area that’s what you need to do, not pass it back.

“His game overall was very good, it was just that mistake. Our lads have hunger, but you cannot expect to keep coming back if you give goals away.

“We don’t know any other way to play than to come and try to win.”

In nearly every aspect of the game, Norwich were a match for the home side. Steve Morison’s header from a Grant Holt cross 13 minutes from the end almost brought them a point.

But for once McLeish’s side, notoriously bad at holding on to leads, managed to survive to the final whistle.

VERDICT: Norwich fans don't stop singing and their team don't give up - probably deserved a point for the quality of their football.

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THE BIG ISSUE: Is John Ruddy a potential England goalkeeper?

At 25 his career at Everton read like a railway timetable with nine loan clubs - but he's worked and learned.

He proved his shot-stopping ability early on with a brave save at Darren Bent's feet and his handling was sound.

More important he's got the size - both in physical build and a big personality, he was shouting and pointing to boss his back four throughout.

Right now looks a proper Premier League keeper and with more experience a definite England candidate.