Former Aston Villa striker Darren Bent says that his old teammate Christian Benteke looks to be playing without any confidence amid a poor run of form in Crystal Palace colours.
Benteke, who turns 30 in December, has only managed six goals for Palace since the end of the 2016/17 season.
The Belgium international was ruled out of the start of the season with injury, and has made four substitute appearances so far in the Premier League, totalling just 21 minutes of on-pitch action.
Former teammate Bent says he cannot understand what has happened to the striker, who was a force to be reckoned with at Villa, and that he looks bereft of confidence in South London.
"I can't believe it, because I was with him at Aston Villa - he took my place," he told talkSPORT.
"So when I think about it, everything was tailor-made for him.
"Every free-kick we hit was to Benteke, every goal-kick, throw-in - everything was 'hit Benteke'.
"So to see the form he's in now and to have gone so long without a goal - I can't quite understand it.
"Because he was brilliant at Villa - some of the finishes: chest, volley.
"Every time Villa needed a goal Benteke would come up with it and to see that Benteke there and now the one at Crystal Palace where he can't buy a goal - I can't understand what's happened there.
"Confidence is massive, but the way he's playing at the minute is like he's got no confidence left."
