Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs has heaped praise on manager Louis van Gaal's leadership skills.

Dutchman van Gaal arrived at Old Trafford last summer and guided the team to Champions League football with a fourth-place finish in the Premier League.

Giggs compared van Gaal with Red Devils great Sir Alex Ferguson but admitted that he is learning some new and different aspects of the game from the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss.

He told the Sunday Times: "It was nothing new in terms of the detail, the hunger, the professionalism, the experience. I'd seen the same with Sir Alex [Ferguson].

"But there were little innovations that you're seeing for the first time as a coach, where you thought 'that's brilliant.' And just the overall experience. Especially in the big games.

"You saw someone who wasn't afraid — or who didn't show it — and showed what he can do tactically, and in his overall leadership. Everyone at the club — the staff, the players — know who the leader is. And that's Louis."