DARREN Bent insists struggling Tottenham have to kick-start their Premier League season immediately – or risk being cut adrift. Spurs, rock bottom with just two points – their worst start in 96 years – travel to newly-promoted Stoke City, who are just two

DARREN Bent insists struggling Tottenham have to kick-start their Premier League season immediately - or risk being cut adrift.

Spurs, rock bottom with just two points - their worst start in 96 years - travel to newly-promoted Stoke City, who are just two points better off, on Sunday

The Lilywhites have failed to score in their last three league games and only managed just four goals in total so far.

Bent, currently the only senior fit striker at the Lane, believes three points at the Britannia Stadium is a must for Juande Ramos's under-fire team.

"One win won't get us out of it," said Bent. "We need to start winning games so that there is not a gap where you need to win two or three games just to have a chance. It's disappointing obviously, but we have to take the positives and in some games we've been playing well enough to get something.

"When you lose to Hull with goals like Geovanni's, there's nothing much you can do about that. It just seems to happen to us but I'm sure we will put it right.

"We've got a difficult game against Stoke but if we play like we did against Hull in periods, we know we can beat anyone."

Bent also this week voiced his support for under-fire sporting director Damien Comolli as well as beleaguered boss Ramos, who according to reports has just six games to save his job.

"I would like to see the boss given time," said Bent. "I think there are too many managers in this country who are gone at the first sign of trouble. He should be given a chance. He won the Carling Cup last season. He is a fantastic manager. The lads and the club are all behind him.

"We know that if we play well and keep going there is a massive chance we will put it right. Definitely, we can turn things around and move up the table."

Comolli has been criticised following reports that he and Ramos disagreed over the club's transfer signings during the summer. But Bent is fully supportive of Comolli, who played a significent part in bringing the forward from Charlton to the Lane in 2007.

"I am behind Damien 100 per cent," said Bent. "He is one of the main reasons behind me coming to Spurs. He is brilliant for the club. I think he is the right man."

l Spurs' opening Uefa Cup group game in Udinese on Thursday kicks off at the earlier time of 6.10pm.

pat.mooney@hamhigh.co.uk