Time is ripe to switch Man Utd's system - Amorim states.

Boss Ruben Amorim says that altering Manchester United's tactical system due to public noise would have been "the finish" for him.

For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his customary three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and opted to use an standard back four with two defensive midfielders.

By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the closing phase as his squad dug in for a victory - securing only their second-ever shutout of the season.

While he once memorably stated that even the Pope could force him to adjust his system, Amorim maintains the option to utilize varied setups has remained part of his plan.

Yet, he emphasizes he could solely make the switch when his team were doing well enough - otherwise it would appear as if he was bowing to external criticism.

"When I arrived here last season, I realized maybe I didn't possess the personnel to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the beginning of a project," he commented.

"The goal was to forge an identity. Now is a different time. We are missing a full complement of players, and we have to be flexible, so they understand why we are switching things up.

"The change isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the faithful.

"Whenever the press criticize altering the formation all the time, I cannot change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is the downfall for the manager.

"Once we are getting results in our system, then is the opportunity to change.

"We will grow into a better squad because when our full complement of personnel are back, we are not intending to employ a back three exclusively."

Injury Issues Continue

With just two victories in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to state his team have been in good form.

He is, though, working with a depleted squad, with seven first-team players already ruled out for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolves.

That number will grow if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his exit 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 urging his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his hamstring injury.

"Fernandes is already insisting he has to train," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."

The Captain's Role Remains

Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will likely continue to be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.

Amorim expects his leader to carry on offering guidance.

"The guy is a leader," he stated. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.

"He has bad things sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of good things. After he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.

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

Return Timeline for Key Players

While the precise timeline for the captain's return - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.