RAVEL Morrison has been catapulted into World Cup contention after some dazzling displays for club and country - but can England really rely on the youngster in Brazil?

The West Ham midfielder has caught the eye this season with a series of impressive displays.
But it is his two solo goals in recent weeks, one against Tottenham and one for England under-21s on Tuesday night, which suggest Roy Hodgson might just have an ace up his sleeve ahead of next summer.
Yet after scoring twice in the 5-0 win over Lithuania, the former Manchester United youngster clashed with Old Trafford player Wilfried Zaha in an ugly off-the-ball clash which will set alarm bells ringing around the FA.


       

There is no doubt Morrison is a young player who is technically gifted. But there is another side to this latest bright new hope which is likely to mean he has as many doubters as backers.
Ever since the boy who grew up in the tough Wythenshaw estate in Manchester burst onto the scene at United there have been whispers a great new talent was emerging for club and country.
Some say he is the best young player to emerge at Old Trafford since Paul Scholes, and already his ability to dribble and beat players in a central role have seen him likened to a young Paul Gascoigne.
But that prodigious talent has all too often been overshadowed by discipline, behaviour and attitude worries which effectively ended any hope he had of progressing to become a United star.

Morrison and Wilfried Zaha clash off the ball [YOUTUBE]

Sir Alex Ferguson was a huge fan, but eventually conceded defeat in trying to nurture Morrison away from some of the bad influences in his off-field life, and packed him off to West Ham for the good of his career.
Moving away from Manchester appears to have helped Morrison settle down, free from some of the darker forces which threatened to prevent him realising his undoubted potential.
A season spent on loan at Birmingham helped his footballing education, and Hammers boss Sam Allardyce has had no choice but to make him a regular starter given his huge impact this season.
This is a player with magic feet, a calmness in possession and confidence on the ball which England have been crying out for.
Yet still there are doubts. Can Morrison stay on the straight and narrow? Will his new nationwide acclaim see him take his eye off the ball?

Morrison beats Hugo Lloris as West Ham win 3-0 at Tottenham [GETTY]
 

No doubt the usual hangers-on and wannabe friends will start trying to get their claws in. Will Morrison have a new maturity to realise he has to avoid that side of things to remain on the upward curve in his playing career?
And can he control himself in the biggest matches, when the pressure is on and emotions are running wild? Arguing with his own teammate when you are 5-0 up, seemingly because you weren't allowed to complete your hat-trick with a penalty, suggests Morrison has work to do.
If the continues to flourish at Upton Park this season, the clamour for a senior international call-up will grow too hard to ignore for Hodgson. How can you ignore pure class after all?
But would anyone have the confidence to let him loose in a World Cup?