As featured on NewsNow: Football news

Morrison hits back at Crystal Palace attacker Zaha: Bad energy comes from his interviews

Former Manchester United midfielder Ravel Morrison has lifted the lid on his row with Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha.

Morrison hit out at Zaha on social media after the latter claimed a bust-up during an England U21 game for showboating.

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand's Vibe with Five YouTube show, Morrison defended his display, claiming he was simply looking to complete a hat-trick.

“I think it comes to a point in that game where you're on two and you want a hat-trick," he explained. “Scoring a hat-trick for England, doesn't matter what level, is a massive buzz.

“I think me and Saido Berahino were both on two goals each and we were talking and like 'we'll see who can get the hat-trick first'.

“And then I think I just took a shot from outside the area, blazed it over the bar and it nearly went out of the stadium...that's when he got a bit vexxed."

Asked to compare his style with Zaha's, he added: “You know what? Wilf's a bit more, he likes the attention. I go there to play football, I enjoy myself. I go on the pitch and I don't try and drop 10 step-overs, that's not natural.

“I didn't understand in his interview when he said, 'everyone else could do that'. Well if everyone else can go and do it, go and do it.

“Go and enjoy yourself. We're winning 4-0, what should we do? Pass the ball back and go side to side? Enjoy yourself, if you can go and take five players on and score go and do it."

On the interview itself, when pressed by Ferdinand - who made it clear he wanted 'no beef' between the two - Morrison felt the Crystal Palace star wasn't being his true self.

“The way he's come across in that podcast, it's like he had me backed up in a corner in the changing room or something," Morrison said. “We had a problem on the pitch, when we got inside the changing room, he didn't say a word and I didn't say word.

“There was no bad energy, no bad vibes. Everyone was buzzing we won the game. But the way he came in that interview, he came into that changing room with some bad energy and I'm just sat there under pressure.

“Wilfried as a player, I think he's a wicked player. But I think this bad energy he gives off in interviews, that's not Wilf. If you know Wilf, you know what he's like, there's no bad-boy in Wilfried, he's a good kid.

“I watched the whole interview and saw him mention his brothers and stuff like that, but that's not Wilfried's style. So to come in the changing room after, like he was on some 'bad-boy energy', I don't understand it."

Video of the day:

About the author

Paul Vegas

×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

  1. Go Ad-Free
  2. Faster site experience
  3. Support great writing
  4. Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free
×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free