Biggest Wins in Matches Featuring Lewis Baker: A Look at English Football's Hidden Gems
Lewis Baker, the versatile midfielder known for his ambidextrous precision and set-piece mastery, has carved a niche in English football despite a journeyman's path. From Chelsea's academy to loans across Europe and a permanent home at Stoke City, Baker's career highlights include standout performances in lopsided victories. These matches not only showcased his contributions but also marked pivotal moments for his teams.
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4-1 Triumph: MK Dons Over Notts County (March 21, 2015)
In the thick of the 2014-15 League One promotion race, Lewis Baker was on loan at Milton Keynes Dons, injecting creativity into a side chasing automatic elevation. The clash against Notts County at stadium:mk epitomized Dons' attacking flair, ending in a commanding 4-1 rout that kept their top-two dreams alive.
Baker, then 19, started in central midfield, dictating tempo alongside Dean Lewington and Darren Potter. The game ignited early when Dean Bowditch slotted home in the 12th minute, capitalizing on a swift counter. Notts County, languishing near relegation, equalized midway through the first half via Alan Smith, exposing brief defensive lapses. Yet Dons regrouped swiftly. Baker's influence grew as he orchestrated play, completing 85% of his passes and delivering a key through-ball that set up Will Grigg's clinical finish just before halftime, restoring the lead at 2-1.
The second half belonged entirely to MK Dons. Baker's work rate disrupted County's rhythm, forcing turnovers that fueled relentless pressure. In the 65th minute, he latched onto a loose ball outside the box, driving forward before unleashing a curling right-footed strike from 20 yards that kissed the post and nestled in the net—his second senior goal and a moment of individual brilliance. The stadium erupted as the score hit 3-1. Grigg added a fourth ten minutes later, tapping in after Baker's intelligent decoy run pulled defenders astray. County's resistance crumbled, with Dons dominating possession at 62% and outshooting them 18-6.
This win propelled MK Dons to within touching distance of leaders Preston North End. Baker's manager, Karl Robinson, hailed him as one of the hardest-working talents he had coached, crediting his vision for unlocking defenses. For Baker, it was a formative outing, blending graft with artistry in a margin that reflected Dons' title-contending form—they finished third and earned promotion via playoffs.
3-1 Masterclass: Stoke City vs Swansea City (February 15, 2025)
Fast-forward a decade to the Championship's relegation skirmishes, where Baker, now 29 and recalled from a loan at Blackburn Rovers, anchored Stoke City's midfield under Mark Robins. Facing Swansea in a mid-table six-pointer at the bet365 Stadium, Stoke scripted a gritty comeback capped by Baker's audacious thunderbolt, securing a 3-1 victory that eased their drop-zone fears.
Swansea struck first in the 38th minute, Josh Key's low drive exploiting a rare lapse from Stoke's backline, leaving the hosts trailing at the break despite 55% possession. Baker, deployed deeper to shield the defense, had been pivotal in transitions, his 92% pass accuracy nullifying Swansea's press. The second half flipped the script as Stoke's intensity surged. Wouter Burger leveled in the 55th minute, bundling home from a corner amid chaos in the box—Baker's aerial duel win initiating the sequence.
Substitutions injected fresh legs, but Baker remained the fulcrum. In the 72nd minute, Million Manhoef danced past two markers to fire past Lawrence Vigouroux, extending the lead to 2-1. Stoke's tails were up, limiting Swansea to one shot on target all game. Then, in stoppage time (90+3'), came the coup de grâce. As Swansea built from the back, Ben Cabango's errant pass fell to Baker near the center circle. Spotting Vigouroux off his line, the midfielder controlled with his left, switched to his right, and lofted a 57-yard missile that arced over the despairing keeper into the top corner. Teammates mobbed him in disbelief; the strike, measured at 61 yards, drew comparisons to Beckham's icons.
This triumph distanced Stoke six points from peril, with Baker's brace of contributions—defensive steel and that visionary finish—earning Goal of the Month honors. Robins praised his execution, calling it unparalleled vision. For Baker, it symbolized redemption after a turbulent loan spell, reinforcing his status as Stoke's talisman with seven goals that season.
2-0 Clean Sheet: Leeds United at Nottingham Forest (September 16, 2014)
Baker's Championship baptism came during a brief 2014 loan at Sheffield Wednesday, but his most notable early senior outing in the second tier was a substitute role in Leeds United's 3-1 away win over Stoke City on August 5, 2018—though the margin was modest. For a purer lopsided example from his youth loans, consider his influence in Reading's 2-0 victory over Hull City on January 19, 2019, shortly after his mid-season switch from Leeds.
Baker entered at halftime for the Royals, replacing John Swift in a tense Championship encounter at the KCOM Stadium. Reading led narrowly via a Liam Moore header, but Hull pressed for parity. Baker's introduction transformed the midfield battle. His tenacity in duels—winning 7 of 10—and progressive carries broke Hull's lines, allowing Reading to settle. In the 68th minute, he fed Tyler Blackett overlapping on the left; the fullback's cross found Nelson Oliveira unmarked for a tap-in, doubling the lead to 2-0.
Hull, managed by Nigel Adkins, mustered just four shots, stifled by Baker's interceptions and 11 completed passes into the final third. The clean sheet was Reading's first in months, vital amid their survival scrap. Baker's 45-minute shift injected composure, his two-footed passing evading markers and sparking counters. This result halted a three-game skid, boosting morale; Reading finished 15th, safe.
Though not a goalscorer here, Baker's control exemplified his utility in dominant displays, a trait that defined his loans.