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Aston Villa striker Darren Bent has issued an apology on Twitter after fans registered their displeasure as a picture, apparently of the striker shopping on Sunday, surfaced online.
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Darren Bent missed Sunday's game against Liverpool.
Villa lost their game against Liverpool 2-0 and were second best for much of the game in the absence of the suspended Gabriel Agbonlahor and strike partner Bent who picked up a thigh injury in training on Tuesday.
Manager Alex McLeish kept Bent's injury under wraps from the media ahead of the game and defended his decision after the game.
He said: ''Darren had a scan during the week. It confirmed he had a grade one injury, I didn't reveal it because I wanted to keep things back from Liverpool.
''You have to understand that. I didn't want Liverpool knowing our starting line-up. If players are injured, I don't necessarily think we have to declare that they are injured.''
But Bent was forced to respond to criticism on the social networking site after he was seen picking up some last-minute Christmas shopping while the game was on.
He said: ''Nothing is more important to me than playing football, sadly injury meant I wasn't able to do that today. Gutted not to be involved.
''I hope to be back very soon. Watched the majority of the game on TV. Never knew popping out would cause an issue and for that I apologise.''
Jonathan Fear, editor of fans' website, Vital Villa, said: "If Darren was told to go home by the club doctors then that explains things and why he wasn't at the game. But even if he does care for Villa, symbolically going out shopping during the latter part of the game makes it look to the fans that he doesn't give a stuff for Villa.''
GettyImages
Darren Bent missed Sunday's game against Liverpool.
Villa lost their game against Liverpool 2-0 and were second best for much of the game in the absence of the suspended Gabriel Agbonlahor and strike partner Bent who picked up a thigh injury in training on Tuesday.
Manager Alex McLeish kept Bent's injury under wraps from the media ahead of the game and defended his decision after the game.
He said: ''Darren had a scan during the week. It confirmed he had a grade one injury, I didn't reveal it because I wanted to keep things back from Liverpool.
''You have to understand that. I didn't want Liverpool knowing our starting line-up. If players are injured, I don't necessarily think we have to declare that they are injured.''
But Bent was forced to respond to criticism on the social networking site after he was seen picking up some last-minute Christmas shopping while the game was on.
He said: ''Nothing is more important to me than playing football, sadly injury meant I wasn't able to do that today. Gutted not to be involved.
''I hope to be back very soon. Watched the majority of the game on TV. Never knew popping out would cause an issue and for that I apologise.''
Jonathan Fear, editor of fans' website, Vital Villa, said: "If Darren was told to go home by the club doctors then that explains things and why he wasn't at the game. But even if he does care for Villa, symbolically going out shopping during the latter part of the game makes it look to the fans that he doesn't give a stuff for Villa.''
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