Stoke City midfielder Lewis Baker has been heavily criticized for his defensive lapse during the sixth goal in their 6-0 defeat to Leeds United. The Potters were already 5-0 down at halftime after a disastrous first 45 minutes, with Joel Piroe scoring a hat-trick early on and Junior Firpo adding a fourth. Despite only one additional goal in the second half, it was clear that Stoke’s performance was abysmal.
The sixth goal came when Leeds’ Manor Solomon crossed the ball to the back post, where Wilfried Gnonto headed in unchallenged. Baker, tasked with marking Gnonto, failed to make any effort to close him down. TalkSPORT’s Adrian Durham was quick to slam Baker’s lack of effort, calling it “unbelievable” and questioning what former manager Tony Pulis would think of the situation.
Baker’s defensive lapse was just one of many disappointing moments in a game to forget for Stoke. While they had been in decent form prior to this match, winning five of their last seven Championship games, the heavy defeat leaves them just four points above the relegation zone, making their survival still uncertain.
Although this mistake highlighted a low point in his recent resurgence, Baker has been a key contributor to Stoke’s improved form this season, with five goals and two assists since January. Despite the poor performance against Leeds, he’ll be eager to make amends in Stoke’s final two games against Sheffield United and Derby County.
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