It is set to be a tense end to the season for Stoke City in the Championship.
Optimism was high at the bet365 Stadium heading into the season after a huge influx of signings over the summer, but the Potters made a poor start to the campaign, resulting in the sacking of Alex Neil in December.
Steven Schumacher made the move from Plymouth Argyle to replace Neil, but he has found it tough to turn the club’s fortunes around so far.
Stoke picked up a crucial point in their battle against relegation as they drew 1-1 with fellow strugglers Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Saturday.
It was a dominant performance from the Owls, and they deservedly took the lead through Liam Palmer in the second half, but substitute Luke Cundle equalised shortly after to secure a share of the spoils for the Potters.
Schumacher’s men currently sit 20th in the table, three points above the relegation zone, and they are back in action when they host Plymouth Argyle on Saturday.
One player who will play an important role for Stoke over the coming weeks is midfielder Lewis Baker, and after speculation over his future during the January transfer window, Schumacher will be glad he did not depart.
Lewis Baker’s Stoke City turnaround has been impressive
Baker came through the Chelsea academy, and after a host of loan spells with Sheffield Wednesday, MK Dons, Vitesse, Middlesbrough, Leeds United, Reading, Fortuna Dusseldorf and Trabzonspor, he joined Stoke on a permanent basis in January 2022.
The 28-year-old was named as the Potters club captain by former manager Michael O’Neill ahead of the 2022-23 season, but the Northern Irishman was sacked just weeks into the campaign.
Baker initially kept his place after Neil was appointed as O’Neill’s successor last August, but he fell out of favour in the second half of the season, with many of his minutes coming as a substitute, and he was stripped of the captaincy in the summer.
A knee injury ruled Baker out of the start of this campaign, but even after returning to fitness, he was frequently left out of the matchday squad altogether.
However, Baker was brought back into the fold following Schumacher’s arrival in December, and he made a positive impression on his new manager as he scored twice in two games in early January, first against Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup before netting a superb free-kick in the win at Rotherham United.
Baker’s goals may have been perfectly timed as rumours about his future were gathering pace early in the January window, with TEAMtalk claiming that he was one of three players that Stoke were open to selling, along with Daniel Johnson and Ben Pearson.
After his goal against Rotherham, Schumacher was full of praise for Baker, telling beIN SPORTS: “It was a brilliant goal, unstoppable. I am really pleased for him because he hasn’t played much football. He’s a proper model professional.
“He is the type of player who competes very well and he’s got a goal in him. It’s important he stays available. He’s doing really well and he’s a talented player.
“When you come to a new club you try to build relationships with people. This system is designed for players like him, midfielders who score goals.
“Hopefully he can keep contributing. He’s one of the best two-footed players I have worked with.”
Baker has established himself as a regular in the team in recent months, featuring in all but three games under Schumacher so far, and after returning to the starting line-up against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, he put in a committed performance at the heart of midfield.
It does not seem as though there were any offers for Baker in January, but the Potters will be relieved to have kept hold of him, and his experience could be crucial for the club in their battle against the drop.
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