Stoke City have improved significantly under Michael O'Neill and whilst they remain in a relegation battle, many will expect the Potters to stay up.

A key reason for the turnaround under the Northern Irishman has been the form of Nick Powell.

The attacking midfielder joined on a free transfer after enjoying a successful few years with Wigan but injuries hindered his start to life in Staffordshire.

However, he has managed to stay fit recently and has weighed in with some crucial goals and assists, with his ability on the ball and creativity making him a favourite among the fan base.

And, here we look at TWO facts that you may not known about the former England U21 international...

He became the second youngest player to play for Crewe

Powell came through the ranks at Crewe, with the League Two side known for having a very good academy over the years.

They clearly recognised from an early age that the elegant Powell had a lot to offer as he was given his full league debut as a 16-year-old, which made him the second youngest player to ever play for the club.

In total, he played 64 games across all competitions in two seasons for Crewe and his 14 goals helped them to promotion, including a strike in the play-off final victory at Wembley.

Today’s higher or lower Stoke City quiz – Can you score 15 out of 15?

He took just over ten minutes to score on his Manchester United debut

Such performances caught the eye of Manchester United and Powell linked up with Sir Alex Ferguson's side back in 2012.

After featuring in pre-season, the youngster was given his debut against Wigan in September, coming on in the second half, with Powell grabbing his first goal just over ten minutes later.