Lewis Baker has blown his Leeds chance, could now be fifth choice

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Baker started Leeds win over Reading on Tuesday night.

Lewis Baker was handed his first Championship start for Leeds United on Tuesday night but it ended miserably as the Chelsea loanee was hauled off at half-time with the scores still deadlocked.

Leeds went on to win 1-0 and move up into second place in the Championship thanks to Stuart Dallas’ close-range strike, but the Whites had to be thankful to Bailey Peacock-Farrell for his 89th-minute penalty save.

Baker, 23, who has made 10 appearances for Leeds in the league, started his first after being brought on nine times previously. But at half-time, he was brought off after a disappointing first 45 minutes.

Tuesday night was the first chance Baker has been afforded in the league to show fans what he is really capable of, but after a poor first half, Marcelo Bielsa had seen enough – and it could mean that Baker has blown his chance.

Indeed, Baker is now certainly behind the likes of Adam Forshaw, Matuesz Klich and Samu Saiz. The latter replaced Baker and starred during the second half for the Whites, as they tried to unlock Reading.

But with Izzy Brown pencilled in to play 90 minutes for the Under-23’s on Friday against Newcastle United in the Premier League Cup, Baker’s fourth-place role in the pecking order may be affected.

Fellow Chelsea loanee Brown is nearing a full recovery from his long-term knee injury and played 45 minutes last week for the Under-23’s in a loss to Birmingham. Carlos Corberan will be looking to give him the entire match against The Toon.

The next progression from that match is a return to first-team football, and with £25,000-a-week (Spotrac) Brown’s favoured position the number 10 role, Bielsa may look to play him alongside the likes of Klich.

Bringing Baker into that competition for places will surely see Baker fall even further down the pecking order – especially after his efforts against Reading. That would make him fifth choice, and question marks raised over whether he is needed.