Ryan Giggs: Louis van Gaal similar to Sir Alex Ferguson

(R) Louis van Gaal has brought back Manchester United's attacking tradition, says (L) Ryan Giggs

Ryan Giggs believes Louis van Gaal has restored Manchester United's attacking swagger.

United lost their famous attacking heritage under former boss David Moyes, who was sacked just 10 months after succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson.

The 20-times champions slumped to seventh place last season, their worst Premier League finish, and entrusted Van Gaal with the task of hauling them back to the top.

Giggs, Van Gaal's No.2 at United, believes the Dutchman shares many traits with former United boss Ferguson, not least a commitment to playing attacking, cavalier football.

"You're seeing attacking football, us trying to score goals and taking the risks but we've not been able to get any consistency due to injuries,” said Giggs.

"There are a lot of similarities to Sir Alex. He [Van Gaal] sets standards and if you drop below them he's not happy.

"He demands that in every training session. He wants the same intensity as if it was a game.

“Obviously the results haven’t been brilliant but we’re getting there.”

“It was a big win for us at the weekend against a very good Arsenal team so we’ve just got to build on that and try and get some consistency.”

Giggs, 40, retired from playing last season and said it was the right time to end his illustrious career on the pitch and focus on a new chapter as a coach.

“Playing is the best time,” said Giggs. “Just going out and playing football for a living, you can’t beat that.

“Coaching and preparing a team through the week and seeing them play at the weekend is pretty close.

“The feeling is still the same - when you lose, you’re gutted and disappointed and you think it’s the end of the world, and when you win it’s a great feeling.

“But nothing will quite ever replace playing football and going out in front of 70-odd thousand and scoring goals, making goals and winning games.”