England player ratings: Verdict after Gareth Southgate's men thrash Czech Republic
Saturday 23 March 2019 12:26, UK
Raheem Sterling's hat-trick helped England swat aside the Czech Republic as a 5-0 victory sealed a dream start to their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign. Here's how Gareth Southgate's side got on...
Jordan Pickford - 7
Rarely tested but was well positioned to keep two Czech efforts out early in the second half.
Kyle Walker - 7
Had few problems defensively and provided a useful attacking outlet too, linking up effectively with Jadon Sancho on England's right.
Harry Maguire - 7
A commanding presence in England's backline. Had some nice moments striding out of from defence and also showed his range of passing with some accurate long-range distribution.
Michael Keane - 7
Complimented Maguire well at the heart of the England defence. Well positioned throughout to limit the Czech to few chances.
Ben Chilwell - 7
Another solid performance from the Leicester full-back, whose stock continues to rise in the England setup.
Jordan Henderson - 7
Tidy performance from the Liverpool man. Kept things ticking over in midfield and also got forward well, sending one shot over from a Sancho cut-back.
Eric Dier - 6
On the end of a sore challenge from Tomas Soucek on 13 minutes from which he never recovered. Lasted just another four minutes before making way for Ross Barkley.
Jadon Sancho - 9
Another excellent performance on his first competitive start for England. Set up Raheem Sterling's opener and also played a key role in the fifth goal, charging through Czech Republic's midfield before finding Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Dele Alli - 7
Should have got in on the act in the second half but was a valuable cog in the England attack, linking the midfield with the attacking flair up front.
Raheem Sterling - 9
England's hat-trick hero. An outstanding performance which underlined his growing importance to Gareth Southgate's side. Was a constant threat to the visitors, also winning the penalty for the second goal.
Harry Kane - 8
A tough ask to eclipse the form of Sterling and Sancho but captain Kane dispatched his penalty with a trademark finish and could have had more goals on another day.
Substitutes
Ross Barkley - 7
An early introduction for the injured Dier. Added to England's attacking threat with some powerful runs and smart passing.
Declan Rice - 6
A 63rd-minute substitute, the West Ham midfielder was composed on the ball on his England debut, with 92 per cent of his 25 passes reaching their target.
Callum Hudson-Odoi - 7
Picked up the baton after replacing Sterling with a sensational cameo on his England debut. Nearly capped the occasion with a goal of his own, though Tomas Kalas' own goal was a worthy consolation.
Follow all of Saturday's Euro 2020 Qualifiers live on Sky Sports Football from 2pm and via our live match blogs on the Sky Sports App and skysports.com.
