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Euro 2020: Jadon Sancho given a rating of just FOUR out of 10 by L'Equipe after England beat Ukraine

  /  autty

Jadon Sancho was finally handed his first start for England at Euro 2020 in the 4-0 victory over Ukraine - but French newspaper L'Equipe have delivered a scathing assessment of his performance.

Sancho, Manchester United's newest big-name addition, was fielded on the right wing for the quarter-final clash and caught the eye with some mazy dribbling and one particular audacious piece of skill.

But not everyone was left impressed by what they saw, with L'Equipe hitting him with a four out of ten rating and claiming that Sancho had been the worst performer in the Three Lions' team.

The decision to largely leave Sancho on the bench during the tournament has proved a source of frustration for supporters, and the former Borussia Dortmund man was given his chance to shine on Saturday.

With Phil Foden benched again and Bukayo Saka ruled out through injury, Sancho lined up in an attacking trio with Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling, who all adeptly supported ace Harry Kane.

And during his appearance, Sancho demonstrated exactly why United opted to splash £73million on him, with his lightning-quick footwork, electric pace and flexibility on either flank making him a threat.

However, L'Equipe - who are notoriously hard to please - opted for the below-par verdict for him, with his number just one above Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips, both of whom were awarded a five.

Jordan Pickford, John Stones, Declan Rice and Mount were given a six, while standout performers Harry Maguire and Raheem Sterling have been given a seven.

After that, Kane - who netted twice and appears back to his clinical best - as well as Luke Shaw and boss Gareth Southgate received an eight out of ten.

The overall average for England was 6.2, a surprisingly low figure considering the manner in which the Three Lions emphatically sealed their spot in the final four.

Rio Ferdinand struck a notable contrast to L'Equipe's opinion, having lavished praise on Sancho and insisted the United fanbase have plenty to look forward to.

'Yes, United have got a player on their hands,' Ferdinand said live on the BBC.

'This isn't a surprise. This is what you've been seeing for three years, German fans. He moves like he's on a dance floor, he mesmerises defenders.

'The confidence and balance he has is rarely seen. Once he's up to speed, this kid is unplayable.

'There's a weight of pass and decision-making that goes beyond his years.

'I'll tell you one thing. At Manchester United this player will have people off their seats. He's a fabulous talent, mentally he's very strong and he has the desire to be as good as he can be.

'He can up the tempo of the game and no-one can change the game the way he does. This is his first game of the tournament and he plays like this.'