Is the Tottenham defender good enough for it to be worth picking him despite his injury problems?

Our man at Old Trafford, Tom Jenkins, captures all the action as the battle for both the title and fourth place hots up

Tom Jenkins

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has claimed he has no regrets about letting Darren Bent leave for Sunderland, even though the forward has now scored 20 league goals for his new club. “Darren’s had a terrific season,” he said. “He has scored his goals, it’s been a great move for him and it’s done him the world of good.” Bent was replaced at Tottenham by Jermain Defoe, who has been in prolific form himself, and the former West Ham and Portsmouth striker is expected to return today after making a rapid recovery from a hamstring injury, aided by spending his nights in an altitude chamber. Richard Flower

Venue Stadium of Light, Saturday 3pm

Tickets £10-27 (0871 911 1973)

Last season Sunderland 1 Tottenham 1

Referee L Mason

This season’s matches 18 Y51, R4, 3.06 cards per game

Odds Sunderland 14-5 Tottenham 15-13 Draw 12-5

Sunderland

Subs from Fulop, Zenden, Campbell, Henderson, Meyler, Da Silva, Reed, Kilgallon, Benjani, Liddle

Doubtful Mensah (hamstring)

Injured McCartney (hamstring, 10 Apr), Reid (hamstring, 10 Apr)

Suspended None

Ineligible Hutton (terms of loan)

Form guide LDWDWD

Disciplinary record Y66 R6

Leading scorer Bent 20

Tottenham

Subs from Alnwick, J Walker, Dervite, Bentley, Rose, Pavlyuchenko, Gudjohnsen, Livermore, Parrett, Townsend, Fredericks

Doubtful Palacios (groin)

Injured Dawson (calf, 11 Apr), Huddlestone (ankle, 11 Apr), King (knee/thigh, 11 Apr), Corluka (ankle, 17 Apr), Lennon (groin, 17 Apr), Woodgate (groin, Aug), Cudicini (pelvis/wrists, unknown), Jenas (groin, unknown)

Suspended None

Form guide WWWWWL

Disciplinary record Y50 R1

Leading scorer Defoe 17

Match pointers

• Sunderland have not lost at home to Tottenham since September 2001

• Tottenham have won their last two away games but have not recorded three consecutive victories on the road since December 2004

• Sunderland have won nine of the 37 Premier League games that they have played in April

• Wigan’s Hendry Thomas is the only player to have committed more fouls than Wilson Palacios (62) this term

• Darren Bent has scored or assisted 51% of Sunderland’s goals this season, the highest proportion in the division

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