Bent is one of the Premier League's leading goalscorers this term with eight but has not found the net in his last three club outings.

Bruce expects that will rankle with the 25-year-old, even though the former Tottenham forward is still playing a prominent role.

"He gives you a terrific work ethic, he is a real team player," said Bruce, whose side face Arsenal on Saturday. "If he doesn't score he contributes to the team.

"West Ham, for instance, I thought was arguably his best performance for us. He didn't score but did everything but.

"But a goalscorer like Darren is never happy unless he scores a goal.

"Other centre forwards are happy to contribute and take a big pride in making goals for other people. Darren Bent is single-minded and wants to score a goal.

"I believe he will score because he keeps getting chances. He always has done in his career, so he's not going to stop now."

Bent's scoreless sequence has actually coincided with a general team drought and a run of just one point from three games.

Yet Bruce was still pleased with the performances in defeat to Spurs and the draw with West Ham.

The results have seen Sunderland slip to eighth after a superb start to the campaign but Bruce is confident the goals and points will soon pick up.

"We have not taken our chances," he said. "If I am being critical, that is the area where we need to improve.

"As a manager you always try to be positive. I don't think I have ever been involved in a team that has gone to White Hart Lane and taken them on like that, played them the way we did.

"Any other game, we would come away with a victory.

"The level of performance we have reached in the last few weeks - we haven't accumulated many points but we have played very well.

"Certainly against Arsenal we are going to have to repeat that."

Bent, signed for £10million from Spurs last summer, was also kept quiet when handed a start for England against Brazil in Qatar last week.

He played for the first 55 minutes of the 1-0 defeat before making way for Jermain Defoe but, despite not scoring, Bruce feels he has done his World Cup hopes no harm.

Bruce said: "I don't think any of them will be judged on 50 or 60 minutes in Qatar. It was played at testimonial pace.

"In these international friendlies do we ever really see anything?

"It will be over the next five or six months of how his form goes.

"If he keeps scoring goals and can be the number one English goalscorer he has still got an outstanding chance of going."

Bruce hopes to have Bent on top form for the visit of second-placed Arsenal.

The Gunners will be without the likes of Robin van Persie, Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott, but Sunderland have their own problems.

Midfielder Lee Cattermole and goalkeeper Craig Gordon are both facing lengthy lay-offs while striker Kenwyne Jones and defender Michael Turner are suspended.

Bruce said: "With Van Persie and Bendtner out it does you a bit of a favour but we have got three or four out too and they are all big players.

"We have to play against them and match them like we have all the other big teams.

"If we do keep that level of performance up, I know for a fact we can give them a good game.

"Against Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea we have gone out there and given as good as we have got.

"We have stood up to be counted. That is what you have got to do, these are the games you want to play."