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West Ham youngster Ravel Morrison hailed as a 'unique' talent by England Under-21 team-mate

The 20-year-old scored a brace in the match against Lithuania

Simon Peach
Wednesday 16 October 2013 15:49 BST
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Ravel Morrison was the best player on the pitch
Ravel Morrison was the best player on the pitch

Ravel Morrison is a “unique” talent and one which makes team-mate James Ward-Prowse confident of success with England Under-21s.

After three years in the international wilderness, the 20-year-old Morrison continued his rise from bad boy to poster boy with a man-of-the-match display for the Young Lions on Tuesday night.

Morrison's brace capped a fine display in the 5-0 European Championship qualifier against Lithuania at Portman Road, with his second goal an exquisite solo effort.

However, that majestic display was somewhat overshadowed by a bust-up with team-mate Wilfried Zaha towards the end of the match - an incident peacemaker Nathan Redmond insisted is "all sorted now".

Fellow Under-21s team-mate Ward-Prowse was not sure what happened between the pair and preferred to focus on what Morrison has to offer the Young Lions.

"He is some player," he told Press Association Sport. "He is a unique player, the way he is really composed on the ball.

"Again he showed his quality with some great goals.

"The second one was a great, great finish, great composure in front of goal. There is plenty more to see from him."

Lithuania struggled to get to grips with Morrison's flurry of stepovers and dragbacks in Ipswich.

When he was brought down on the edge of the box midway through the first half, Ward-Prowse took the resulting free-kick and netted his first goal for the Under-21s.

"I wheeled off - you've got to make a bit of a meal of it," said the Southampton midfielder, who later saw a shot come off the post.

"Obviously I have been practicing free-kicks in training, so it is nice to see it paying off. It is a great, great feeling scoring for your country.

"Coventry was my last goal in the FA Cup, a long, long time ago. I had to enjoy it and the occasion.

"I should have done better and got a second one, but I was a bit tired towards the end. It is something for me to carry on working on."

Ward-Prowse has impressed since linking up with the England Under-21s, playing all four matches since Gareth Southgate replaced Stuart Pearce at the helm.

The 18-year-old played for other national representative sides before that, including the Under-20s at their World Cup in the summer.

England failed to win a single match in Turkey, compounding a miserable summer in which Pearce's Under-21s lost all three games in their European Championship.

Ward-Prowse, though, is confident that things are on the up now.

"It is a different feeling amongst the squad and with all the staff," he said.

"It is a feeling I have never had in the team before, where everyone feels untied together. We're all working hard towards the same goal.

"I think that is a good way for us moving forward in the qualifying campaign."

Home clashes with Finland and San Marino await the Under-21s next month, although first up is a return to club matters with Southampton and a trip to Manchester United this weekend.

"That is something to look forward to now," Ward-Prowse added. "It is a game you always look out for on the fixture list.

"All the lads have been working hard back on the training ground and hopefully recover and get ready for the game."

PA

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