Birmingham striker Marcus Bent will join Barclays Premier League rivals Wolves on a four-month loan deal, the midland club has confirmed.

Bent, 32, will boost Wolves’ attacking options following the departure of Andy Keogh to npower Championship side Cardiff on a season-long deal.

“Marcus is an experienced striker who has played plenty of Premier League football and scored goals,” said Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey.

“People still talk about whether we’ve got enough Premier League experience, and Marcus will add to that.

“He’s also a different type of striker to what we have in that he’s a physical presence.

“We needed someone after the departure of Andy Keogh and Marcus can do a job for us.”

Bent is seemingly no longer a first choice striker at St Andrew’s following the arrivals of Nikola Zigic and Matt Derbyshire.

He spent parts of last season on loan at Middlesbrough and QPR.

Wolverhampton are currently 5.50 to be relegated from the Barclays Premier League 2010/11 while it’s 8.00 for Birmingham to finish in the bottom three.

Don’t forget, all Premier League matches are covered by the bet365 100% Euro Soccer Bonus, where you could earn a bonus of up to 100% on your returns on pre-match accumulator bets.

View all Soccer betting

Mick McCarthy never lost faith in Wolves striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, who has already equalled his goal tally for last season by netting twice in two games.

In Wolves’ first season back in the Barclays Premier League, Ebanks-Blake struggled to make an impression but the 24-year-old looked sharp in pre-season and followed up his goal at Everton by opening the scoring in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Newcastle at Molineux.

The result saw Wolves maintain their unbeaten start to the season, having gained five points from the opening three games.

McCarthy said: “Sylvan earned the right to be in the team and sealed that with a fabulous finish and another really good performance against Newcastle.

“It just didn’t happen for him last season and it didn’t happen for a lot of the lads early on – and then others got to grips with it quicker.

“Kevin Doyle was also playing so well up front so Sylvan didn’t get as many games as he would have wanted.

“He wasn’t as battle-hardened and sharp as he needed and wanted to be.

“This year he has had a great pre-season. He came back really hungry for it and he is a better player for it. He is working exceptionally hard.

“People questioned his ability to play at this level. I wasn’t one of them.”

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake can be backed at 151.00 to finish as the leading goalscorer in the Barclays Premier League this season.

The match saw 12 players handed yellow cards in what was a combative encounter between the two sides.

McCarthy said: “I’m glad we got everyone off the pitch without anyone getting sent off.

“But I’m pleased we competed in a real tough game.

“There were times when we may have lost that game last year when we were trying to chase games, being desperate to get a winner.

“If you’ve got your point, sometimes take and settle for the point and remember Newcastle are not a bad team.

“They’ve got a lot of Premier League quality in their team.”

McCarthy was disappointed that his side were not awarded a penalty early in the second half as James Perch brought down Matt Jarvis with the score at 1-0.

He said: “I wasn’t certain at the time. I didn’t know if the ref thought ‘Jarvo’ had fallen over his legs.

“But I’ve just seen it again and it was a poor, poor decision.

“We are 1-0 up and, if we score the penalty, the game is done and dusted for us. It was a real pivotal moment in the game.”

Andy Carroll’s textbook header from a Joey Barton free-kick earned Newcastle a share of the spoils after Ebanks-Blake’s clinical finish broke the deadlock. Ebanks-Blake also hit the post while Newcastle were guilty of missing several goalscoring opportunites with Carroll and Nolan failing to take advantage.

Wolves are currently on offer at 5.50 to be relegated this season.

View all Soccer betting

Enhanced Multiples
Fulham, Tottenham & Wolves all to win 6/1
Fulham, Chelsea, Spurs, Wolves, Middsboro & QPR all win 50/1

Check out our Enhanced Multiples!

Enhanced Multiples
Fulham, Tottenham & Wolves all to win 6/1
Fulham, Chelsea, Spurs, Wolves, Middsboro & QPR all win 50/1

Check out our Enhanced Multiples!

Enhanced Multiples
Fulham, Tottenham & Wolves all to win 6/1
Fulham, Chelsea, Spurs, Wolves, Middsboro & QPR all win 50/1

Check out our Enhanced Multiples!