Champions League: United have lost their spark - Giggs

Ryan Giggs feels Manchester United have lost their "spark" and are not the side they were two years ago.

Giggs' honest assessment comes in the wake of United's 1-0 defeat against Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at Old Trafford.

Alex Ferguson's side sat on top of the world in 1999 when they conquered all before them and pulled off their historic Treble.

But Giggs said: "We're simply not playing anything like two years ago.

"The game against Bayern was a prime example of where we did not look like having that spark which would see us overrun them.

"Two years ago we had it - but now it has gone."

However, the 27-year-old Wales winger, who yesterday signed a new five-year deal with the club, reckons some big new signings could freshen United up.

"I look back to the start of the 1999 season and a few new faces came in - with Jaap Stam, Dwight Yorke and Jesper Blomqvist.

"All of them made a massive contribution to us winning the Treble, including the 2-1 final win against Bayern.

"At the start of this season we did not add an outfield player and while this club already has world-class players, you always need a few new faces."

Giggs revealed United had changed their gung-ho style of recent seasons after conceding too many goals - especially away from home - and that it was crucial to strike the right balance between caution and all-out attack.

He also claimed that over the last two years opponents had decided the best way to stop United was to nullify the threat posed by himself and team-mate David Beckham and added: "It's up to us now to try to counter that."