Sir Alex Ferguson has handed Michael Owen the Manchester United number seven shirt - and declared Old Trafford closed for transfer business.

It was anticipated Ferguson would make further signings in addition to Owen, Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan, who joined last week from Bordeaux.

But, faced with a market over-inflated by Real Madrid and Manchester City, Ferguson has decided his current squad is good enough to challenge for an unprecedented fourth consecutive league title, even though Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez have left.

He said: “It is the end of our business, so all these stories about who we are supposed to be getting - forget it.”

It means Owen will take over Ronaldo’s shirt and his place in an attacking line-up containing Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov, plus youngsters Daniel Welbeck and Federico Macheda, who will both be given a chance to prove they are worthy of the accolades that have been bestowed on them.

“They are both young players - but young players with ability always get a chance here.”

England sent India Packing, Former Champs out of the T20

England crushed Indian emotions by 3 runs

Match Summary

England 153-7(K Pietersen 46)
India 150-5 (Y Pathan 33)
Englan won by 3 runs.

Match Review

Directed from Sky Sports,

England knocked defending champions India out of the World Twenty20 tournament with a nerve-jangling three-run victory at Lord’s.

Paul Collingwood’s men looked to have fallen a bit short when they could only muster 153-7 when asked to bat first, but a superb bowling and fielding effort saw India fall just short.

Despite a fine late stand between skipper MS Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan India fell just three runs short on 150-5 and, after losing their Super Eights opener against West Indies, they now cannot make the semi-finals.

As well as dumping out the defending champions, England kept their campaign alive and they will now face West Indies in 24 hours’ time with Monday’s clash being a straight shoot-out for a semi-final spot.

Early loss
After losing Luke Wright in the second over, Kevin Pietersen and Ravi Bopara added 71 before the latter was bowled by 20-year-old spinner Ravi Jadeja for a run-a-ball 27.

Pietersen also fell to Jadeja (2-26), as he was trapped lbw just a ball after clubbing the youngster high into the stands, leaving the hosts on 92-3.

England’s innings stalled as a result, with Dimitri Mascarenhas unable to get going after being promoted up the order and sent in at number four, and runs came exclusively in ones and twos.

Owais Shah perished in the deep for 12 when he finally tried a big shot, and skipper Collingwood went for five in the penultimate over when trying a reverse dab against Zaheer Khan.

Harbhajan Singh then took two wickets in two balls, James Foster and Graeme Swann, to restrict England to just 153-7, which looked a small target to defend.

The re-called Ryan Sidebottom got an early breakthrough as Rohit Sharma chopped on in the second over for nine, and he then removed Suresh Raina as he finally succumbed to the barrage of short balls by finding Wright out at deep mid-wicket.

Jadeja struggle
Young Jadeja came in at four, but he and Gautam Gambhir struggled to keep up with the asking rate, and when Gambhir went in the 11th over India were on just 62-3.

Danger-man Yuvraj Singh came in and smacked his first ball for six off Swann to signal his intent and also signal that the victory target was still well in sight.

The 14th over proved crucial, as just after Yuvraj had slugged a second six Jadeja tried the same only for Broad to pluck a fine catch out of the air right on the fence.

Three balls later and Yuvraj was heading back to the pavilion for 17 after some excellent work from wicket-keeper Foster, who showed lightning quick hands to stump the Indian after he had over-balanced out of his crease when missing a Swann delivery.

Dhoni and Pathan gave it everything, taking 11 from the 17th and 18th overs to leave 29 from 18 balls to win, and that came down to 19 off the last after Broad had gone for just nine in the penultimate over - although he did fluff a sitter of a run-out chance.

Perhaps showing that the duo should have come in earlier, Pathan hacked a straight six off the fourth ball to leave nine required from two, but Sidebottom came back with a superb Yorker for a single.

Dhoni reached the fence off the last ball but it was too late and champions India saw their title defence end far too prematurely after losing a three-run thriller.