Hull City boss Bruce adopts a patient approach with Powell

The 21-year-old joined the Tigers on the final day of the winter transfer window after falling down the pecking order at Manchester United.

Powell was included in the squad that travelled to Burnley last Saturday but did not make the bench as City slipped to a 1-0 defeat.

Bruce cited the midfielder’s lack of playing time – his last start in a competitive fixture came in August, 2014 – as why he was left out at Turf Moor.

But, with the weekend visit to Blackburn Rovers beginning a hectic period of 10 games in 35 days, the City manager expects Powell to play his part.

“He had only trained three times (ahead of Burnley) so we are still seeing how he is physically,” he said. “We have to manage him because it would be wrong of me to just throw him in if he is not ready.

“Nick will enhance us, I am sure of that. He has already shown us in training why people have paid big money for him.

“You only have to watch him for a short while. He handles the ball well, he is 6ft 2in, he is quick and he has got a lot of attributes that make a very good player.”

Powell did feature in United’s decisive Champions League clash with Wolfsburg from the bench as the Premier League giants crashed out in December. He also played in the January defeat at Bournemouth.

But otherwise, opportunities have been hard to come by at Old Trafford for a player who joined from Crewe Alexandra in 2012 for a deal that could have risen to £6m. Out of contract at the end of this season, Powell’s future is clouded by the current uncertainty surrounding Louis van Gaal.

“I don’t know if they have closed the door on him or not,” continued Bruce, when asked if there was a possibility of Powell staying at the KC Stadium long-term.

“But maybe the key is what he does here between now and the end of the season. Mick (Phelan, City assistant manager) knows him well and, of course, I spoke with Ryan Giggs at length about him.

“It is fair to say that Ryan really likes him as a player.”