Manchester United legend expects Ruud van Nistelrooy to go against and challenge Erik ten Hag’s decisions 

Manchester United legend Jaap Stam has backed Ruud van Nistelrooy to challenge Erik ten Hag's decisions at Old Trafford. The Dutchman believes the former Red Devils striker will bring quality and experience to the group.

Manchester United have appointed Ruud van Nistelrooy as assistant manager following the termination of Mitchell van der Gaag's contract. The former striker will now work with Erik ten Hag to fire the club to new heights starting this summer.

Jaap Stam, who is excited by that appointment, has warned the Red Devils boss to be ready to have his new assistant challenge his decisions.

“As a manager, you need people who will go against you and challenge you and hopefully Ruud and Rene [Hake] will do this," the former centre-back told The Athletic. "Ruud, of course, is a legend for the club.

"At United now, Ruud can hopefully, bring some quality to the strikers in coaching and make the players better as individuals. He’s been a manager himself, too, so that should help. I like the appointment."

Stam also talked about Manchester United's other new assistant coach Rene Hake, whom he feels has a job to prove to the players that he can cut it in the Premier League.

“He was a coach at Zwolle and together we worked with the manager. Rene is a good coach and manager who has done well in Holland," he continued. "Of course, that’s different from doing well at a big club like United where he’ll need to convince the players he can add something, but he has the knowledge and a clear vision of how to play football."

It goes without saying that Van Nistelrooy will command a lot of respect at Manchester United. The former striker is an icon of the club where he played between 2001 and 2006, where he scored 150 goals in 219 games.

What is next for Manchester United?

After suffering a 2-1 loss to Arsenal in their preseason clash yesterday (July 28), the Red Devils will now continue their preparations for the upcoming season when they go head-to-head with Real Betis this Thursday (August 1).

That will be followed by another preseason fixture versus Liverpool on Sunday, August 4, before the highly anticipated Community Shield clash with with Manchester City on Saturday, August 10.

Erik ten Hag's side managed to clinch the FA Cup last term but failed to impress in the Premier League where they finished eighth in the league table with 60 points.