Ruud van Nistelrooy's influence at Man United is clear as training drill hints at major change

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Ruud van Nistelrooy led Manchester United's training session on Friday and encouraged a change in attacking approach. The Dutchman, renowned as one of the Premier League's most deadly finishers, has chosen to return to Old Trafford to serve as a coach under Erik ten Hag.

Van Nistelrooy's focus will be on enhancing United's productivity in the final third, and he has been encouraging the team to maximise the use of their wingers.

United have set up camp at UCLA's Wallis Annenberg Stadium, where Van Nistelrooy led an attacking drill. According to the Daily Mail, teams were awarded double points for scoring directly from a cross, with specific areas marked out to highlight the zones to target. READ MORE: 'I was like "what?"' - the methods new Manchester United coaches are using in training READ MORE: Man United get Jarrad Branthwaite transfer hope as Everton reach agreement for defender Van Nistelrooy is evidently trying to encourage United's players to make better use of their wide men and underscore the benefits of delivering balls into the box.

Some of the club's most promising talents, such as Alejandro Garnacho, are known for their wide play. Rasmus Hojlund demonstrated last season that he can pose a threat when balls are crossed into the box, which could be a factor behind United's new training drills.