Striker Darren Bent has said that he doesn't understand why he wasn't given a chance at Aston Villa this season, after being promised a run of games by manager Paul Lambert.

Bent featured in eight games for the Villans in the first part of the season, but the majority of those came from the bench, and he has now moved out on loan to Derby County, following an earlier spell at Brighton & Hove Albion.

Bent told reporters: "I had numerous chats with the manager and Roy Keane (ex-assistant manager). Roy told me I was going to get my chance and I was doing really well.

"I spoke to Paul and he told me my chance was coming. He told me my attitude was first class. Then the games came along and I wasn't playing.

"Who knows what the motives are for what's going on. A lot of my friends are Villa fans, as I've been there quite a while, they've said they can't understand it. And myself I can't understand it, but for whatever reason, the manager's got his decision, he's the manager and you've got to respect him."

Bent moved to Villa for £18m from Sunderland in 2011.