Liverpool whizkid Bobby Duncan has been likened to England hero Wayne Rooney.

Duncan, the cousin of Reds legend Steven Gerrard, left Manchester City for the Reds this year.

Thanks to Gerrard's intervention, Duncan was able to train with Wigan while waiting for his registration with Liverpool to be rubberstamped.

Latics first-team coach Anthony Barry told the London Evening Standard: “The greatest praise I could give him, is he never let training down.

“Physically, technically he was more than capable of training with us. I wouldn't go as far as to say he could have played with us but you could see the talent, the potential that he had.

“As a lad, he took everything in his stride. If you know Bobby you know there's no nerves, no anxiety, there's an assuredness about him that says he'll hopefully go on and fulfil the potential that everyone thinks he's got.

“[He's a] typical young Scouse footballer, wears his heart on his sleeve, loves his football, wants to be out on the training ground every single minute of the day and you struggle to get him off it."

A product of Everton's academy himself, Barry says he was reminded of his most celebrated former teammate when watching Duncan train.

He says: “He's just a typical street player; a raw talent. I think there are many similarities between him and Wayne Rooney in his physique and the way he plays his game and his upbringing.

“I played with Wayne right through the youth teams and the similarities are there for everyone to see I think."