England player ratings from Slovakia win with solid 7/10 and frustrating 4/10

Is it better to be good or lucky? Just ask Gareth Southgate because England certainly enjoyed a large dose of fortune to scrape past Slovakia and seal a place in the last eight of Euro 2024.

After a lively start to the contest it was a Slovakia side containing Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka that took the lead when Ivan Schranz beat former Sunderland stopper Jordan Pickford just after the midway point of the first-half.

A lethargic and disjointed England looked shell-shocked by the goal and despite working their way into some promising situations, offered little in the way of genuine threat until the opening minutes of the second-half. Newcastle full-back Kieran Trippier was the creator as his pass was converted by Phil Foden - but the celebrations were cut short by an offside decision.

The Three Lions enjoyed large swathes of possession but never really looked like cutting through their opponents until the final quarter of an hour when Harry Kane headed wide from close range and Declan Rice struck the post.

Southgate’s side huffed and puffed but looked to be heading out of the tournament until Jude Bellingham produced a stunning last-minute overhead kick to send the game into extra-time. England wasted little time in seizing the initiative in the additional 30 minutes as the previously anonymous Kane headed home from a neat flick from substitute Ivan Toney.

That proved to be enough to send the Three Lions into a quarter-final tie against Fabian Schar’s Switzerland - but they’ll know they have to improve significantly if their dreams of a major tournament win are to remain alive.

Here are our player ratings from a nervy win for England.