Darren Bent could be facing at least three weeks on the sidelines according to Sunderland boss Steve Bruce. The striker was forced to carry on with a hamstring problem in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Arsenal after Bruce had made his three substitutions. He has had a scan on the injury but Bruce has revealed that they won’t be expecting the results until the end of this week.

“Darren has gone away for a scan and we’re not expecting the results back until Thursday or Friday, but there is a real worry that it is a hamstring strain…If that turns out to be the case, then we are looking at losing him for a minimum of three weeks.”

There was a suggestion that Bent had simply suffered a bout of cramp, however concerns are now clearly growing. The striker looks a major doubt for the trip to Wigan this weekend and if the injury is confirmed, he could also miss kind fixtures against Fulham and Portsmouth.

This would come as a major blow to Sunderland – who will also be without Kenwyne Jones at Wigan as he serves the last of his three match ban. Frazier Campbell is set to start up front then, with 4-5-1 again the likely formation. As for us fantasy managers – Bent’s setback would come as yet another key injury up front and will surely only add to the huge amount of investment heading the way of Jermain Defoe.