Stoke boss Mark Hughes feels Joe Allen has been the 'shining light' in the Potters' troubled season so far.
The midfielder scored his first goal for the Staffordshire outfit with a 73rd-minute strike against West Brom on Saturday - an effort that looked set to seal Stoke's maiden Premier League win of the season before Salomon Rondon's stoppage-time header ensured the game at the Bet365 Stadium finished 1-1.
Allen produced a very creditable display against the Baggies and has impressed in general since joining from Liverpool over the summer.
And Hughes said of the 26-year-old Wales international: 'I think he left Liverpool because he wanted to play week in, week out, we are giving him that opportunity, and in every game he plays he has an influence.