Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Football London
Football London
Sport
Luke Thrower

England Soccer Aid players ratings: Bugzy Malone, Tom Grennan and Paul Scholes shine in defeat

England's run of defeats in Soccer Aid was extended to five on the bounce on Sunday as the side lost 4-2 to World XI at Old Trafford. Usain Bolt opened the scoring for the visitors before Asa Butterfield and Paul Scholes drove on a comeback for the Three Lions early in the second half.

That was short lived though as Robbie Keane's quality shone through with a brace before Kem Cetinay put the game out of England's reach. With that said, here's a quick look at the player ratings for England following the defeat at Old Trafford.

Jill Scott 7 - England captain for the night, Jill Scott didn't miss a beat in her return to football, nearly one-year from her retirement from the game.

Paddy McGuinness - 7 - The celebrity goalkeeper conceded three goals, but none of which were preventable as the Robbie Keane brace came from great placement, with the Kem Cetinay strike coming from a one-on-one. The times he was called upon, McGuinness made saves and kept the score down.

Jermain Defoe - 6 - The former England striker struggled to have many chances fall his way during the game, though his all-round play showed signs of his quality.

Karen Carney - 7 - Karen Carney showed elements of her quality from her playing days with bursting runs from midfield.

Gary Cahill - 7 - The former Chelsea defender was an ever-present in the side throughout the game and made some huge tackles to deny the opposition.

Jack Wilshere - 7 - The former Arsenal midfielder ran the show at times, picking out passes to teammates and drifting into spaces with his touches. He wasn't able to cause enough issues in the final third though, which could've seen him create a chance or two for England.

Bugzy Malone - 8 - The British rapper had his work cut out for him at right-back against Usain Bolt, but he kept the man known for his pace relatively quiet and even managed to get down the flank himself. Unfortunately, his evening was ended early after he picked up an injury, which allowed Bolt to give the Rest of the World the opening goal.

Tom Grennan - 9 - The actor pulled off a double act in playing a fantastic show with the ball and with his vocals during a half-time act. His competition with Noah Beck in the middle of the park made for an intriguing watch and he was involved at both ends of the pitch.

Sir Mo Farah - 6 - The athlete made an impression when coming on, with his bursting run through midfield in particular catching the eye. However, when called upon defensively, he was occasionally beaten with some ease.

Alex Brooker - 6 - Alex Brooker got a cameo during the second half where he made an impression before being substituted off shortly after.

Gary Neville - 6 - The former footballer-turned-pundit had a solid game and despite a couple of scares at the back, he kept the World XI quiet.

Paul Scholes - 9 - The ex-Manchester United midfielder changed the game in the second half as he helped curate an England comeback from 1-0 down to 2-1 up. He scored the second goal with a strike from the edge of the box, but injury ended his night early.

Chunkz - 6 - The Beta squad member had few chances in the second half, with his one shot at goal comfortably saved.

Joel Corry - 6 - The DJ put in plenty of effort and a spirited performance, despite the defeat.

Eni Aluko - 6 - The former England international was able to drive on the ball at times, but struggled to keep hold of it and lost it on several occasions.

David James - 7 - The ex-England goalkeeper made a few routine saves in the game and looked comfortable at times. One of the only criticisms could be that he didn't make himself big enough to stop Bolt's opener.

Scarlette Douglas - 6 - The television presenter had a cameo towards the end of the second half and put in a spirited performance.

Liam Payne - 6 - Former One Direction member Liam Payne had a few opportunities in the game, including one shot from the edge of the box that he caught sweetly.

Danny Dyer - 6 - Danny Dyer may have been hoping to channel the energy of his son-in-law Jarrod Bowen during the game, but he was unable to, despite the effort he put in.

Asa Butterfield - 7 - The actor grabbed England's first goal on the night with a cross-cum-shot on the right-hand-side of the box that squirmed into the net. He wasn't able to have much more of an impact on the game outside of it though.

Tom Hiddleston - 7 - The actor who plays the trickster Loki in the Marvel movies had a few tricks up his sleeve, with some dangerous deliveries and set-pieces out wide.

READ NEXT:

Mikel Arteta's next Arsenal transfer priority revealed after key duo agree new contracts

Timothy Castagne to Arsenal transfer latest: Talks held, cut-price deal, Ivan Fresneda decision

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.