Bent: England trio will save Villa from the drop - and Houllier's job
Published 10:50 05/04/11 By James Nursey
Darren Bent is confident Aston Villa's England triumvirate will save the club from the drop - and Gerard Houllier's job.
Villa are still just two points off the Premier League relegation zone despite investing £30million in January on Bent and Jean Makoun.
They host Newcastle on Sunday in a crunch game ahead of a tricky run-in with boss Houllier under intense pressure.
But Bent scored twice in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Everton to take his tally for the club to five goals since his switch from Sunderland.
He was set-up by fellow England aces Stewart Downing and Ashley Young, who also laid on his recent goal for England against Wales.
And Bent, 27, believes he can fire Villa to safety if the club's two England wing wizards continue to provide the ammunition.
He said: "Stewart Downing set-up the first and Ashley the second at Everton.
"Ash of late has been supplying me left, right and centre whether it be for for England or Villa.
"I can't complain about that and am delighted.
"We knocked it around and played really well at Everton.
"Nigel Reo-Coker and Jean Makoun supplied Stewie and Ash and me and Gabby Agbonlahor tried to keep them busy upfront.
"If we play well and anything like we can do against Newcastle I am sure we will beat them.
"We have seven cup finals left - we know what we have to do to keep picking up points."
Villa's draw at Goodison Park saw the return of Dunne and Collins after the pair were both heavily fined for getting drunk on a club bonding trip.
Bent added: "It was nice to have James Collins and Richard Dunne back - they are two top centre halves."
But Bent was downcast not to have got all three points after notching twice on Merseyside before a controversial late Leighton Baines penalty.
He said: "When you come away from home and score two goals you expect to come away with something.
"But we feel like it is two points dropped, it is unfortunate we leave with just a point.
"Second half I thought we were the better team by far.
"We conceded a goal and it is not a penalty but when you are fighting for your lives down there that is what happens.
"The away fans were fantastic though, they always pack it out.
"Even first half when we were losing they were singing.
"It is just unfortunate we couldn't take three points back for them but we have to move on to Newcastle on Sunday."
