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Belgium vs England, player ratings: Who impressed in Nations League crunch match?

Belgium vs England, player ratings: Who impressed in Nations League crunch match?  - Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images
Belgium vs England, player ratings: Who impressed in Nations League crunch match? - Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

England

Jordan Pickford
Did well to get a hand to Tielemans’ deflected opener and powerless to stop Mertens’ free-kick. 6/10

Kyle Walker
Got forward intelligently to support Trippier but gave the ball away for what could have been a killer third goal. 6

Eric Dier
Gave the ball away more than once, including for the opening goal, after surviving an injury scare in the warm-up. 6

Tyrone Mings
Questions over why he failed to jump for Mertens’ free-kick but dealt really well throughout with the threat of Lukaku. 6

Kieran Trippier
Terrific delivery from open play and set-pieces in the first half before suffering a freak eye injury in the second when caught by Hazard’s flailing boot. 7

Declan Rice
Controversially adjudged to have made a rash challenge for the free-kick Mertens scored but otherwise won the ball back – and used it – well. 6

Jordan Henderson
Neat and tidy but sacrificed for the more inventive Harry Winks at half-time as England looked to get back into the game. 5

Ben Chilwell
Provided decent natural width on the left touchline before being forced off with an injury towards the end of the first half. 5

Mason Mount
Not involved enough but produced a lovely flick to set up a shot from Kane and sent one half-chance over and a second wide from a corner. 6

Jack Grealish 
Showcased all his skills on his first competitive start as he increasingly looked the player most likely to get England back into the game. 8

Harry Kane
Stood out in a losing cause on what was his 50th cap. Saw a header cleared off the line and was a major threat. 7

Substitutes
Bukayo Saka (for Chilwell, 38) 6

Harry Winks (for Henderson, 45) 6

Dominic Calvert-Lewin (for Mount, 70) 4

Jadon Sancho (for Trippier, 70) 5

Belgium

Thibaut Courtois
Stood up well to deny Harry Kane in the first half and a routine save from the England captain in the second. 7

Toby Alderweireld
Made more than one crucial interception but booked for a potential goal-saving shove on Tottenham Hotspur team-mate Kane. 6

Jason Denayer
Former Manchester City youngster proved a more-than-able last line of defence as England piled on the pressure in the second half. 7

Jan Vertonghen
Surplus to requirements at Spurs but the Belgium captain showed why he is still the first name on the team-sheet for his country. 7

Thomas Meunier
Booked for tripping Jack Grealish on the edge of the box, earning him a suspension, and looked increasingly rattled up by the Aston Villa man. 5

Axel Witsel
Also picked up a suspension after being booked for a crude tackle on Kane. 6

Youri Tielemans
Fortunate with a deflection for the opening goal and did not see much of the ball otherwise but did a job protecting his back three. 7       

Thorgan Hazard
Unintentionally caught Kieran Trippier in the face with a flailing boot and spent most of his time in his own half as England pushed forward. 5

Kevin De Bruyne
Won the controversial free-kick for the second goal and was a threat throughout, despite some uncharacteristic sloppiness at times. 6

Dries Mertens
Lethal with what little ball he had. Instrumental in the first goal, fired in an unstoppable free-kick for the second and almost laid on a third. 8

Romelu Lukaku 
Set up the opener, made a clearance off the line to deny Kane an equaliser and twice almost scored on the break late on. 7

Substitute
Dennis Praet (for Mertens, 83 mins)