Stoke City manager Nathan Jones has offered an explanation over why midfielder Nick Powell has featured so rarely in the first few months of the season for the Potters, following their 2-0 defeat at Millwall on Saturday.

The Potters' defeat at Millwall made it back to back defeats, having also lost 1-0 at Sheffield Wednesday last week, and ended Stoke's mini revival, which had seen them win two games in a row either side of the international break to lift hopes of potential up turn in form for Jones's side.

Despite Stoke missing the influential presence of Peter Etebo, who was forced off the field with an injury at Sheffield Wednesday, Powell was once again left out of the squad for the trip to the Den, meaning he has now featured just three times for the Potters in the Championship in their opening 14 matches.

Speaking to the Stoke Sentinel following the defeat at Millwall, Jones revealed the reason behind Powell's lack of game time so far this term and why he was left out of the squad again on Saturday, saying: "Nick Powell has been injured pretty much since the first game of the season.

"He’s had eight or nine weeks out, played a game, picked up an injury, came back, picked up an injury on Wednesday running on his own.

"So he’s been unfortunate. With someone picking up injuries with pretty much everything they do, it’s very difficult to bring them to The Den and say you go and run and give me massive intensity."

The Verdict

Powell's lack of involvement since he made the move from Wigan Athletic in the summer will have been a real frustration to both the midfielder and Jones so far this term, with the former Luton Town boss bringing him in to try and help the Potters create more opportunities and add more goals from midfield.

The 25-year-old has suffered from injury problems throughout his career so far, but the attacking midfielder did manage to make 32 appearances for Wigan last season and was instrumental in the Latics retaining their Championship status last term, scoring eight goals and assisting six.

However, as Jones alluded to Powell's fitness has meant that he has not been able to feature heavily for Stoke so far this campaign, and it can be argued that although his creativity and ability to bring goals from midfield could be a real asset for the Potters, he is not perhaps the type of player you need when you are having to battle for results during a poor period of form.