O’NEILL: A HARD ASK TO HIT TOP

BOSS Michael O’Neill says turning around Stoke was always going to be a bigger task than some would like to think.

Back-to-back losses to Birmingham and Millwall have sent The Potters into the final run-in with little to play for.

But they aim get back to winning ways today, with O’Neill saying while the club is looking up after last season’s struggles, the Championship is a tough league, adding: “This is a big club. I can name a dozen big clubs that feel the same. Leeds were 18 years in the Championship. People under-estimate this league.”