The moment is right to alter Man Utd's system - Ruben Amorim states.

Boss Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's tactical system due to public pressure would have been "the end" for him.

In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his usual three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and opted to field an orthodox back four shielded by two holding midfielders.

By his own admission this effectively functioned as a six-man defensive block in the final phase as his squad dug in for a win - securing just their second clean sheet of the season.

While he once famously said that even the highest authority could compel him to change his approach, Amorim asserts the capacity to play with varied formations has remained part of his long-term vision.

However, he emphasizes he could only alter the tactics when his team were doing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would look as if he was bowing to outside noise.

"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I lacked the players to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the commencement of a project," he commented.

"Our aim was to build an philosophy. Today is a separate time. We lack a lot of personnel, and we need be flexible, so they understand why we are changing.

"It is not because of the demands of the media, or the fans.

"Whenever you discuss changing the system repeatedly, I cannot make a change because the squad will believe I'm changing because of you and I think that is the end for the coach.

"Once we are performing strongly in our system, then is the right time to adapt.

"We are going to grow into a better squad because when all the personnel are back, we are not intending to employ a back three exclusively."

Injury Challenges Persist

With only two victories in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to say his team have been playing well.

He is, nonetheless, working with a severely stretched roster, with seven senior players already confirmed absent for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolves.

That total will rise if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.

Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his manager to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring injury.

"Fernandes is already saying he has to train," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."

The Captain's Leadership Endures

Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly continue to be heavily involved, as whereas most unavailable players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.

Amorim anticipates his captain to carry on providing insight.

"The guy is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's always vocal. That is the reason he's the skipper.

"He has negative aspects sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. Even after he recovers, he goes to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.

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

Return Timeline for Injured Players

While the specific timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.