Stoke City made a welcome return to winning ways in the Championship on Saturday as they defeated Barnsley at Oakwell.

Having lost their last three league games, the Potters were determined to prove a point against the Tykes under the guidance of new manager Michael O'Neill.

Despite only being appointed by the club on Friday, the 50-year-old inspired Stoke to a fantastic victory on their travels.

Sam Clucas fired the Potters ahead in the eighth minute before Lee Gregory doubled his side's advantage from the penalty spot after James McClean was fouled in the area by Alex Mowatt.

Although Cameron McGeehan halved Barnsley's deficit following the break, two quick-fire goals from Joe Allen and Clucas restored Stoke's superiority.

Whilst Patrick Schmidt's late goal set up a grandstand finish, O'Neill's side held on to seal their second away league win of the season.

With the dust having now settled from this clash, here are three things we clearly learnt about Stoke after their 4-2 victory over Barnsley...

Clucas could be key for their survival hopes

Arguably Stoke's stand-out performer during their clash with the Tykes, Clucas took his goal-tally for the season to  three by netting a magnificent brace at Oakwell.

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Clearly capable of producing some real moments of magic, the midfielder could end up playing a key role in helping the Potters maintain their second-tier status next May.

Providing that he can maintain his consistency over the coming months, there is no reason why Clucas cannot become a vital part of O'Neill's set-up.

The 4-3-3 formation may be the way forward for the Potters

Having faltered in a number of different formations under former boss Nathan Jones, the Potters lined up in a 4-3-3 formation on Saturday.

Whilst Tom Ince and James McClean illustrated some real signs of promise in the wide areas for Stoke, Clucas and Allen both produced fantastic displays in the heart of midfield.

If O'Neill opts to stick with this set-up for the foreseeable future, the Potters may be able to achieve a relative amount of success in the Championship during the remainder of the 2019/20 campaign.

Stoke cannot afford to get carried away by this display

Whilst it would be naive to suggest that Stoke's performance against Barnsley wasn't impressive, it is imperative that O'Neill's side stay grounded following this result.

Still three points adrift from safety, the Potters should be aiming to use the momentum gained from this result to push on in the Championship over the coming months.

With Stoke set to face Wigan Athletic after the international break at the bet365 Stadium, it will be intriguing to see whether they can secure another vital victory in their battle against relegation.