Now is ripe to alter Man Utd's formation - Ruben Amorim states.

Manager Ruben Amorim argues that switching Man Utd's tactical system due to public noise would have been "the end" for him.

Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his customary back three setup with wide defenders and opted to deploy an traditional back four shielded by two central midfielders.

He himself conceded this effectively became a six-man defensive block in the final minutes as his team clung on for a win - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.

Although he once famously said that even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the capacity to experiment with alternative formations has remained part of his strategy.

Yet, he stresses he could solely implement the change when his team were doing well enough - lest it would look as if he was giving in to external criticism.

"When I arrived here last season, I recognized perhaps I don't have the players to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the start of a project," he stated.

"We were trying to forge an philosophy. Currently is a different time. We lack a lot of personnel, and we have to adjust, so they understand the reason we are making changes.

"This isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the supporters.

"Whenever you talk about changing the system repeatedly, I can't make a change because the players will think I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is a disaster for the coach.

"Only when we are playing well in our preferred setup, then is the moment to evolve.

"This will help us develop into a more complete team because when our full complement of personnel are available, we are not intending to employ three defenders in every match."

Injury Issues Persist

With just two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to state his side have been in good form.

He is, however, operating with a injury-ravaged squad, with multiple first-team stars already confirmed absent for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolves.

That figure will grow if midfielder Mason Mount fails to shake off the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.

Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pushing his manager to allow him to return after his hamstring injury.

"Fernandes is already saying he has to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No way. You can write that."

Fernandes' Role Remains

However, the Portuguese star will almost certainly continue to be heavily involved, as while most injured players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.

Amorim anticipates his leader to carry on providing guidance.

"He is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's always vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.

"There are flaws sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he goes to watch the other guys practicing. There are a many things that go unnoticed.

"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."

Recovery Timeline for Key Personnel

While the exact timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.