Stoke head coach Steven Schumacher believes Lewis Baker can flourish in his system after he netted the winner in a narrow 1-0 Championship victory at Rotherham.
The game’s only goal and moment of real quality came through Baker’s sensational free-kick just before the break.
That proved to be the difference and ensured Schumacher a second victory in charge.
Stoke had certainly enjoyed the better of the first half but they did not take the lead until the fourth minute of added on time when Baker’s strike whistled into the top corner.
Schumacher wants the former Chelsea man to keep contributing and hinted he could become a key man under him.
He said: “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.”
Rotherham came closest through former Stoke man Sam Clucas’ long-range strike but their former loanee goalkeeper Daniel Iversen enjoyed a quiet afternoon.
There were even fewer chances in the second half with the Millers failing to really put the visitors’ goal under threat and Stoke content with a one-goal cushion.
The best opportunities fell the way of Andre Vidigal, who had two opportunities to notch a second.
One of his efforts was palmed out by Viktor Johansson and a counter-attack deep into added time was curtailed by Cohen Bramall’s desperate defending.
Schumacher added: “I think it was a really tough game and what we expected. You have to come and battle and stand up to everything Rotherham throw at you. It’s a tough place to come to. It was a really good performance.
“The way they play, you have got to try and be brave but use your brain as well. It was really well executed from my players.”
Rotherham head coach Leam Richardson will now look to bring some players in after loanees Dexter Lembikisa and Fred Onyedinma departed the New York Stadium this week.
He said: “Hopefully we will be busy next week. We have needed bodies from January first. We are struggling to fill the bench.
“The first emotion was there was a game there to be won. I think it was a 0-0 game with one moment of quality which wins the game.
“I don’t think it should have been a free-kick. I think their manager would be saying the same thing if it was a flipside.
“In the second half we were the aggressor without having that final moment of quality or decision making.
“We have been very diligent in certain areas and aggressive in others. One of my frustrations is we got in some good areas but we need to be more aggressive with our crosses and shots.
“We have got to improve daily and have really good habits. We have to keep being really positive and working hard.
“I won’t have anybody knock the lads’ work effort or endeavour.”
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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