A back injury has forced Sunderland striker Darren Bent out of the England squad which will face Hungary in a friendly tomorrow.

Bent, who missed out on selection for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ after being axed from Fabio Capello's provisional squad, must now be regarded as a doubt for Sunderland's Premier League opener against Birmingham at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

It cuts Capello's squad down to 20 after the international retirements of Paul Robinson and Wes Brown.