EXPERIENCED captain Gareth Southgate believes teenage UEFA Cup goal king James Morrison has the perfect attitude to star on the European stage for years to come - with Middlesbrough.

Despite being 18, he doesn't celebrate his 19th birthday until May, Morrison scored the equalising goal against Grazer AK on Thursday night, a strike that edged Boro closer to a place in the last 16.

The attacking midfielder, along with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Bolo Zenden, is now the club's leading scorer in the UEFA Cup with three goals and has shown no signs of struggling to adapt to first team football at any level.

Morrison, from Darlington, has never looked back since scoring on his first start for Boro in the second leg against Banik Ostrava in September.

Three days later he was outstanding in his full Premiership debut at Manchester United when his perfect cross from the right flank created Stewart Downing's goal in the 1-1 draw.

Downing has since gone on to represent England and, although a couple of years his junior, Morrison has already been tipped to follow in his Boro team-mate's footsteps by many at the club, including Ray Parlour.

Manager Steve McClaren - hoping the youngster recovers from a groin strain before tomorrow's visit of Charlton to Teesside - has been hugely impressed by the player's precocious talent and handed him a professional contract earlier this season.

And Southgate has not been surprised by Morrison's meteoric rise from FA Youth Cup winner last season to UEFA Cup goal-hero the next.

"James has really adapted well to the first team and it's a struggle to pick any faults in his play," said an admiring Southgate. "James is only a small lad but for a small lad he does like to put his foot in and that's good to see.

"I remember him playing at Old Trafford in October. It was his first league appearance and he took a massive knock to his shin. He had to have stitches put in yet he still played on with the same attitude.

"He was still throwing himself into tackles and it's at moments like that when you can build a good impression of people.

"It was then when I thought: 'Yeah, he's got the right attitude to do well and to make a good career in this game'.

"It was James' goal against Grazer that settled us a bit on Thursday and it took the wind out of their sails a little. We all built on that goal and it played a major role in the outcome of the game."

It is back to domestic duty for Boro tomorrow when the Addicks visit the Riverside in a contest that could have serious implications on who will finish in the top six.

Charlton are just two places behind their sixth-placed hosts and the two are only separated by three points - although Boro do have a superior goal difference.

Southgate, whose side have lost just twice at home this season, believes the gruelling match with Grazer played in wintry conditions will have aided his side's preparations for tomorrow afternoon.

"I want us to qualify for Europe through the league this time around," said Southgate, who travels to his former club Aston Villa a week today. "The next two games are crucial to that. They are going to be tough games that we have to be ready for and we need to improve from Thursday. There's plenty resting on Sunday's game and we are hoping to pick up on that.

"Thursday night was the first time we had been able to play on grass this week because of the weather. In fact it was the first time since the game in Austria that we had anything like a proper work out and it showed."

Southgate was at fault for the goal Boro conceded against Grazer, when he gifted possession to Mario Bazina who fired into an unguarded net.

But the Teessiders recovered to book a place in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup against Sporting Lisbon and the captain believes the whole town will be gripped by the occasion.

"It's a terrific achievement," said Southgate, who will take his side to the Jose Alvalade Stadium next month knowing the final will take place at the same venue on May 18.

"It's going to be a fantastic occasion for the club to go to a stadium like that in the next round and get a team like Sporting Lisbon back to us. The two away trips in the last round were not as glamorous but now I'm sure we have got one that everyone will want to tune into."

Boro have been made 8/1 fifth favourites to lift the trophy. Newcastle United are fourth favourites at 7/1, while Spaniards Villarreal, the only side to beat Boro in the competition so far, are favourites.

l Tickets for Boro's home leg with Sporting Lisbon on March 10 will go on sale from Monday.

Details are not yet available for the second leg in Lisbon, which will take place on either March 16 or March 17.