Wayne Rooney names the Middlesbrough ace who was 'miles better' than Manchester United star Paul Pogba

Morrison and Pogba came through the ranks together at Manchester United and Rooney has heaped praise on Morrison, who struggled to hit the heights of his early potential and is now on loan at The Riverside from Sheffield United.

Rooney said: “I remember watching Ravel Morrison thinking he had everything required for a player in his position.

“He was brilliant. He was confident. He nutmegged Nemanja Vidic three times in the space of a minute in one training game.

“But he struggled with lifestyle and his environment, which was sad for him - because I saw Paul Pogba come through, Jesse Lingard, all these players and Ravel was better than any of them by a country mile.

“He's proof that you can't escape the fact there are guidelines every player has to obey in professional football. Some players live right on the edge of them but stick just inside and still succeed.

“Sir Alex Ferguson used to say, the hardest thing in life is to work hard every day.

“Forget all your ability, strip everything back: if you can work hard every day, in whatever job you do, you'll be successful,” added Rooney, writing about their time together at Old Trafford in the Sunday Times.

Morrison made just two appearances for Boro after joining on loan in January before the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.