Stoke must be a 'threat' at Leeds United says the man Stuart Dallas holds in the highest regard

The Northern Irishman has got the Potters firing again - they've scored twice or more in seven of his 26 games in charge, having failed to do so in their previous 80 outings.

He began his tenure with a 4-2 win at Barnsley back in November, a result that saw the sides swap positions at the foot of the table.

At the weekend Stoke beat the Tykes again, this time by a 4-0 scoreline, and they're now up to 18th in the Championship with a two point cushion between them and the drop zone.

During his time as Northern Ireland national team boss, O'Neill was known for making his side difficult to beat with solid defensive organisation, but they were a threat on the counter attack and pressed intelligently.

On Thursday, the 51-year-old will bring a team to Elland Road for the first time.

That resounding victory over Barnsley has lifted his side's spirits going into the clash with league leading Leeds and he wants to see his players replicate their weekend intensity.

"From a confidence point of view we go into the game in a match better frame of mind than we possibly could have done," he said.

"We will have to be at the same level of intensity, if not more. We will have to defend deep at times I’m sure as well.

"They are pushing for the ultimate prize of the Premier League and to be league winners so we will have to go there and make life difficult for them."

O'Neill doesn't just want to have an answer for the questions asked of his side by Leeds and their attacking style of play, he wants to pose some of his own.

"We have to be a threat," he said.

"If we are deep then we will have to be a threat on the counter attack and have to press at the right times as well. We will look at that and the personnel in terms of how we play."

If Stuart Dallas passes fit for the game, having missed Saturday's 3-1 victory at Blackburn with a glute problem, he will come up against the man who made him one of the generals in the Northern Ireland set-up.

Dallas won 43 of his 44 international caps under O'Neill and holds the Stoke boss in the highest regard.

“I loved every minute playing under Michael," he said, after O'Neill stepped down as Northern Ireland manager.

“I think I can speak on behalf of the group in saying he was very, very well thought of by the players and we owe him a lot.

“I always wanted to represent my country but it was an added bonus winning caps under Michael. He was someone I really wanted to play for.

"Some managers are great coaches but they maybe don’t possess similar man management skills or vice versa, but Michael has both.

“He was a really great person and you could lift the phone to him anytime. He did a lot for me and I’ll always be thankful of that.”