Darren Bent says he cannot wait to put a traumatic week of headlines behind him when his new club Aston Villa look to derail Premier League title-chasers Manchester City in the late Saturday fixture (6/1 Bent – First Goalscorer).

The England international has found himself under the media glare off the back of his club-record January window switch from Sunderland to Villa Park.

The two clubs have become embroiled in a public slanging match over the way the transfer was handled, with Bent himself the subject of death threats via social networking feed Twitter.

The 26-year-old says he is desperate for the dust to settle so he can carry on with doing what he does best and is anxious to kick-start his Villa career on a winning note (Aston Villa 13/5 draw 12/5 Manchester City 11/10 – match betting).

“I kind of hate it to be honest,” he said. “I’ve never been one for my picture being here, there and everywhere.

“It’s horrible at the moment because there’s so much going on with Sunderland and Villa. It’s horrible.

“My mum can’t stand it! She hates going out of the house when it’s all happening like at present.”

Bent added: “I don’t like it. I prefer to go about things quietly. If the transfer could have gone through under the radar, I’d have been happy.”