Jermain Defoe is backing Tottenham strike-rival Darren Bent to start hitting the goal trail.

"Benty is the type of forward who is a natural goalscorer," Defoe said. "He's looked so sharp in training and his finishing has been unbelievable.

"He will always score goals, his movement is superb, very clever, and his confidence was boosted by his goal at Middlesbrough.

"I'm sure he will kick on from that and will score a lot of goals for the club."

Defoe also told the Spurs match programme that he loves finding the net but his main priority is to be on a winning side.

"If I don't score I want to come off the pitch knowing that I have done my best. Sometimes you can work really hard in a game, make lots of runs track back, unsettle defenders but not score.

"People think you have had a bad game but it is not as straightforward as that. If I don't score and we win games that is fine by me.

"Don't get me wrong though. I love scoring goals and I'm sure that if I keep getting in good positions, making the runs and gambling on certain situations, the goals will come. But in the position we are in, results are the most important thing."