The Harry Redknapp factor is in full swing as Tottenham continue their fine run with a 2-1 win at Manchester City.
Redknapp has lifted Tottenham and Bent in particular - and they made it five matches unbeaten under his stewardship in a dramatic match at Manchester City on Sunday.
Spurs moved off the bottom of the Premier League in the process, thanks to two goals from a revitalised Bent in a fixture which City finished with nine men - by which time Tottenham themselves were one down too.
Bent built on his midweek hat-trick against Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Cup to help his side record their first away win in the league this season.
City were left cursing their luck, having taken the lead through Robinho. They lost the advantage, after having Gelson Fernandes sent off 10 minutes later for two yellow cards.
Then captain Richard Dunne was also dismissed by referee Mike Dean, as was Tottenham's Benoit Assou-Ekotto.
City made the breakthrough in the 16th minute, thanks to Robinho's eighth goal of the campaign.
The Brazilian scored with a spectacular effort against FC Twente in the UEFA Cup, but this one was fairly routine.
He found the target from close range, after Darius Vassell's effort had been parried - with Shaun Wright-Phillips also playing a part in a swift counter-attack.
Robinho then picked out Stephen Ireland, but his effort was beaten away by Heurelho Gomes in the 24th minute.
The match took a significant twist in the 26th minute when Fernandes was sent off for two bookable offences - the first on Luka Modric, the second on David Bentley.
Modric almost pulled Spurs level two minutes later, only to be denied by a splendid block from Joe Hart.
They did not have long to wait for the equaliser, however, Bent providing an assured finish in the 29th minute.
He gave Hart no chance, after defender Dunne had failed to cut out a long ball from Modric.
The home side still looked vulnerable, and Dunne failed to clear a cross from Assou-Ekotto in the 41st minute - but the ball was eventually scrambled away.
Bentley was having a lot of possession but was wasteful a minute before half-time when he found space on the right only to loft his effort over the bar.
City were exposed in the 52nd minute when Modric was allowed to find space in the six-yard box but drilled a shot straight at Hart.
Modric was at the heart of every Spurs move and tried his luck on goal five minutes later but saw his shot blocked by Javier Garrido.
City responded, and Wright-Phillips used his pace to get beyond Ledley King. But his effort carried little weight, and Gomes was able to make a comfortable save.
Dunne almost put the hosts ahead again in the 61st minute when he got on the end of an inswinging free-kick from Garrido - but Gomes reacted superbly to block the captain's header.
Spurs went ahead in the 65th minute when Tom Huddlestone picked out Jermaine Jenas in the area.
He laid the ball off into the path of Bent, who rattled a shot in off the post.
City suddenly picked up the pace, despite being down on numbers, and Benjani headed wide in the 72nd minute following a cross from Garrido.
Three minutes later Robinho saw his effort turned around the post by Gomes, and the goalkeeper continued his good work in the 77th minute when he blocked Ireland's effort from an acute angle.
City were reduced to nine in the 83rd minute when Dunne was given a straight red card, after referee Dean adjudged he had hauled back Bent as he homed in on goal.
Tottenham then found themselves down to 10 on the stroke off full-time, Assou-Ekotto red-carded for a challenge on Pablo Zabaleta.
Spurs moved off the bottom of the Premier League in the process, thanks to two goals from a revitalised Bent in a fixture which City finished with nine men - by which time Tottenham themselves were one down too.
Bent built on his midweek hat-trick against Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Cup to help his side record their first away win in the league this season.
City were left cursing their luck, having taken the lead through Robinho. They lost the advantage, after having Gelson Fernandes sent off 10 minutes later for two yellow cards.
Then captain Richard Dunne was also dismissed by referee Mike Dean, as was Tottenham's Benoit Assou-Ekotto.
City made the breakthrough in the 16th minute, thanks to Robinho's eighth goal of the campaign.
The Brazilian scored with a spectacular effort against FC Twente in the UEFA Cup, but this one was fairly routine.
He found the target from close range, after Darius Vassell's effort had been parried - with Shaun Wright-Phillips also playing a part in a swift counter-attack.
Robinho then picked out Stephen Ireland, but his effort was beaten away by Heurelho Gomes in the 24th minute.
The match took a significant twist in the 26th minute when Fernandes was sent off for two bookable offences - the first on Luka Modric, the second on David Bentley.
Modric almost pulled Spurs level two minutes later, only to be denied by a splendid block from Joe Hart.
They did not have long to wait for the equaliser, however, Bent providing an assured finish in the 29th minute.
He gave Hart no chance, after defender Dunne had failed to cut out a long ball from Modric.
The home side still looked vulnerable, and Dunne failed to clear a cross from Assou-Ekotto in the 41st minute - but the ball was eventually scrambled away.
Bentley was having a lot of possession but was wasteful a minute before half-time when he found space on the right only to loft his effort over the bar.
City were exposed in the 52nd minute when Modric was allowed to find space in the six-yard box but drilled a shot straight at Hart.
Modric was at the heart of every Spurs move and tried his luck on goal five minutes later but saw his shot blocked by Javier Garrido.
City responded, and Wright-Phillips used his pace to get beyond Ledley King. But his effort carried little weight, and Gomes was able to make a comfortable save.
Dunne almost put the hosts ahead again in the 61st minute when he got on the end of an inswinging free-kick from Garrido - but Gomes reacted superbly to block the captain's header.
Spurs went ahead in the 65th minute when Tom Huddlestone picked out Jermaine Jenas in the area.
He laid the ball off into the path of Bent, who rattled a shot in off the post.
City suddenly picked up the pace, despite being down on numbers, and Benjani headed wide in the 72nd minute following a cross from Garrido.
Three minutes later Robinho saw his effort turned around the post by Gomes, and the goalkeeper continued his good work in the 77th minute when he blocked Ireland's effort from an acute angle.
City were reduced to nine in the 83rd minute when Dunne was given a straight red card, after referee Dean adjudged he had hauled back Bent as he homed in on goal.
Tottenham then found themselves down to 10 on the stroke off full-time, Assou-Ekotto red-carded for a challenge on Pablo Zabaleta.
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