Newcastle boss Pardew: More to game of Villa's Bent than just finishing

Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew has prepared his team ahead of facing Aston Villa striker Darren Bent.

Pardew already knows what a lethal finisher former Sunderland striker Bent is from managing him at Charlton.

Pardew said: “I know Darren very well. He and Cisse are similar. Both play off the shoulder, are good in the air, can finish right foot and left foot. Very similar. I like Darren. He is a good pro and we have to be careful.

“We have worked out that Villa are the fastest team on the break outside a couple of others, so we will have to be on our guard.

“We don’t want to expose ourselves in terms of committing too many players forward and make it more dangerous than it should be.

“You don’t carry Darren Bent. No team carries Darren Bent. His link up play maybe is not his No.1 asset but he can do it. He played a couple of roles for me and showed that.

“But you want him at the top of the pitch scoring goals, you don’t want him linking play. So no, I have no problem with the way he plays.”