Kieran Morrison earns praise after first Northern Ireland start

Isaac Price did not spend long weighing up Kieran Morrison's first start for Northern Ireland. After the 3-0 win over Ukraine, he called him "a different threat than what we have had before" and pointed to the problem he has given Michael O'Neill before Monday's meeting with Georgia. Morrison answered with the assist for Price's second goal in Trnava.

Morrison's first start

Morrison was one of three changes O'Neill made for the match in Trnava, and the gamble worked. Northern Ireland had taken four points from their first two Group B2 games against Georgia and Hungary before this one, so the start already had weight to it. The 19-year-old, on loan at Sheffield Wednesday from Liverpool this season, made 77 minutes count.

He finished with one assist, two key passes and a 7.41 rating. Price's goal was his 11th for his country, but the move began with Morrison receiving the ball, looking up and putting in the kind of delivery that gives a manager a reason to keep the shirt in the conversation.

Price's view of the new option

Price's assessment was backed by Morrison himself, who said he had been "biding my time after the first two games" and felt he was ready. He added: "I was training well, working hard and I'm glad he [O'Neill] trusts me enough to give me the start. I think I did well enough."

That is a fair read of the performance. Morrison did not just get through the night, he created a second goal in a game Northern Ireland controlled. He has already made two senior Liverpool appearances, and this was a much more relevant reference point for his international case.

Northern Ireland face Georgia at Windsor Park on Monday night, and O'Neill now has a choice to make on the right side of his attack.