Adnan Januzaj shines to highlight Ravel Morrison’s loss

Two goals at Sunderland and another on Saturday in United’s victory over Morrison’s Hammers have come amid 11 Premier League appearances. Like Morrison before him, Januzaj possesses the gifts to achieve almost anything in the game.

On Saturday it was Januzaj whose presence counted though, while Morrison suffered as part of a West Ham team that was rarely in touch with the home side. Morrison was neat in possession, occupying a central midfield role alongside Jack Collison and Mark Noble, but rarely drifted into the attacking areas where he is able to influence most.

Meanwhile, Januzaj received fewer touches in a wide role, but scored a crucial second goal just before the half-time break, while seeing four further attempts blocked by the massed Hammers’ defence. One more piece of evidence in a burgeoning case that Januzaj is destined for the very top.

“Adnan Januzaj is doing really well,” said Moyes after the game. “We are always hard on him, we always want more but he is doing remarkably well. He is a real talent.”

That he is although the narrative is not yet complete – Januzaj has time to turn initial promise into consistent excellence. Few doubt that he will, although the pitfalls are many.

Aside from a questionable attitude, Morrison’s indiscretions came largely off the pitch – two a well publicised court cases, resulting in a referral order for witness intimidation and a criminal conviction for criminal damage. Meanwhile, Januzaj has courted controversy having twice seen yellow this season for simulation. The Kosovan-Belgian might have garnered more in what is threatening to become an embarrassing habit.

Still, Moyes is in little mood to chide the youngster, not least while Januzaj remains on average the most consistently fouled player in the league – attracting 38 fouls in 12 matches this season.

“We will talk to him about it but you might be picking on the wrong person because if you look at the last two games, he has taken more tackles than any other player,” said Moyes.

“Last week there were a lot of people having a kick at him because he’s very difficult to mark. He’s elusive the way he moves and it can bring defenders into tackles.”

Morrison also possesses that enigmatic ability – a knack of drifting past players with classy ease. It led the 20-year-old to score one of the most memorable goals of the season against Tottenham Hotspur in October. It was, in a sense, a reminder of the talent lost to United.

In the spirit of reminiscence Januzaj’s rise is also a note to young Morrison: here’s what you could have won. Indeed, when Tom Cleverley says that the United man has “special potential and the fans love him” it is a comment that could have been made of Morrison during almost any period of the player’s time in Manchester.

“He’s settled in really quickly, he’s got a great attitude and a promising future ahead,” concluded Cleverley. Words that can only be applied to Januzaj. For the moment at least.