Morgan denies Johnson factor

England one-day captain Eoin Morgan "can't put his finger" on why his side collapsed in the Carlton Mid ODI Tri-Series final on Sunday, but he's certain it had nothing to do with returning Australian spearhead Mitchell Johnson.

Moran and Maxwell's differing opinions

Chasing 279 to win the tri-series final, Morgan's men collapsed to be 7-98 in the 25th over, with Johnson tearing through England's top order to finish with 3-27 from seven overs.

It was Johnson's first game back since the Commonwealth Bank Boxing Day Test against India in Melbourne and the left-arm speedster showed no sign of rust as he tormented his favourite prey on his adopted home turf.

Johnson removes James Taylor

Johnson removed James Taylor with his seventh ball of the day to a sharp catch by Glenn Maxwell at backward point before ripping through Moeen Ali and Morgan with consecutive balls next over, with the captain leaving a ball that cannoned into off-stump.

Johnson collects two in two balls

But Morgan says it "could have been anybody bowling" and specifically it wasn't Johnson's spell that changed the game and reminded the tourists of last summer's horrors.

"Absolutely not, I don't think he swung it," said Morgan on Johnson's opening spell.

"The two guys up front bowled well, swung it a little bit, but again we must have put ourselves under pressure.

"I don't know why we performed like this today."

"Our biggest worry was the pitch.

"We didn't know what the pitch was going to be like and it turned out to be better than we thought.

"But certainly he didn't take the front in our meeting.

"We chat about the opposition very briefly as we've played against them so much in the past and individually we come up with plans how we are going to negotiate them.

"But I don't think we threatened that much today. We were poor."

Johnson happy to be back

While Morgan isn't concerned about the England's repeat failings against Johnson, man of the match Glenn Maxwell says otherwise.

"He should be," laughed Maxwell.

"He had 3-11 at one stage and tore through their top order.

"They can be not worried at all but if they're getting skittled by him they probably should be."

England have less than two weeks to formulate a plan against Johnson and the rest of Australia's attack before their opening World Cup clash on February 14 in Melbourne.