Sir Alex shuts door on youth exodus

Sir Alex Ferguson says none of his squad will be available on loan in January as United face a congested fixture list next year.

The United boss has warned rival managers not to bother enquiring about his latest crop of young players because he intends to use them all with United fighting on five fronts this season.

The Reds' passage through to the Carling Cup semi-finals means United will fall further behind in the Premier League title race, with re-arranged matches against Wigan and Fulham now delayed until March at the earliest.

But the 5-3 win over Blackburn keeps Ferguson's dream of emulating 1999's three-trophy haul a realistic goal and he knows he needs to utilise the strongest-ever squad assembled at Old Trafford to achieve it.

He told the press: "The one good thing is that we've got a big strong squad, I won't be letting anyone else out on loan and I want to keep everyone together because I'm going to need them.

"It's all about taking their chance when it comes and they have done that and I'm pleased with that but more importantly it adds to my squad when we're coming in the second half of the season.

"We've got something like eight games in 26 days and I've got the squad to cope with that. It's a great bonus we've got now."

Ferguson says that he has learned a lot about future starlets like Rodrigo Possebon, Darron Gibson, Danny Welbeck and Rafael da Silva in United's Carling Cup run.

"Playing against Middlesbrough, QPR and against Blackburn, we learnt something from them, their temperament, their ability to play in front of the crowd at Old Trafford," he said.

"They're never phased, that's the important thing. These young players have come through well."