The moment is right to change Man Utd's formation - Amorim insists.

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

Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his customary three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and instead deploy an standard four-man defense shielded by two central midfielders.

By his own admission this at times became a six-man defensive block in the latter phase as his team clung on for a win - securing only their second clean sheet of the campaign.

Although he once famously said that even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his approach, Amorim asserts the capacity to play with different setups has always been part of his long-term vision.

However, he emphasizes he could only alter the tactics when his team were performing at an acceptable level - or else it would appear as if he was succumbing to external criticism.

"At the time I came here last season, I recognized maybe I lacked the personnel to perform effectively in that system, but it was the start of a journey," he stated.

"Our aim was to establish an philosophy. Now is a distinct juncture. We don't have a lot of players, and we need adapt, so they comprehend the reason we are changing.

"The change isn't because of the influence of you guys, or the supporters.

"When you talk about altering the formation repeatedly, I cannot make a change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of you and I think that is the end for the manager.

"Only when we are playing well in our preferred setup, that becomes the opportunity to change.

"We are going to grow into a better squad because when all the personnel are back, we are not going to play with a back three all the time."

Availability Issues Persist

With only two victories in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to claim his side have been in good form.

He is, however, managing with a severely stretched squad, with seven first-team players already ruled out for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.

That number will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable 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 understood to be pressing his boss to allow him to return after his hamstring injury.

"Fernandes is already saying he has to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can write that."

The Captain's Leadership Is Unwavering

Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will likely still be deeply engaged, as whereas most unavailable stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.

Amorim anticipates his captain to continue providing input.

"The guy is a leader," he stated. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and offering advice. He's always communicating. That's why he's the skipper.

"He has negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he recovers, he goes to observe the other guys training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.

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

Return Schedule for Injured Players

Although the precise timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.