Now is ripe to switch Manchester United's formation - Ruben Amorim declares.

Manager Ruben Amorim contends that switching Manchester United's tactical system due to external scrutiny would have signaled "his demise" for him.

In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his trademark back three setup with wide defenders and opted to use an traditional back four with two defensive midfielders.

Amorim acknowledged this at times became a back six in the final minutes as his side held on for a crucial result - securing only their second clean sheet of the season.

While he once memorably stated that not even the Pope could pressure him to adjust his approach, Amorim insists the capacity to utilize varied formations has remained part of his long-term vision.

Yet, he stresses he could only make the switch when his team were doing well enough - lest it would appear as if he was giving in to external pressure.

"When I arrived here last season, I recognized maybe I didn't possess the personnel to excel in that system, but it was the beginning of a process," he said.

"The goal was to establish an identity. Today is a separate juncture. We are missing a full complement of players, and we must adjust, so they understand the reason we are changing.

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

"When media criticize altering the system constantly, I can't change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of you and I think that is a disaster for the coach.

"Once we are getting results in our preferred setup, then is the right time to adapt.

"This will help us become a more complete team because when our full complement of players are back, we are not going to play with three defenders in every match."

Injury Challenges Persist

Having just two wins in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been playing well.

He is, though, managing with a severely stretched squad, with multiple senior stars 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 led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.

Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be urging his manager to allow him to make a comeback after his hamstring injury.

"Bruno is already telling me he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."

Fernandes' Role Is Unwavering

Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will almost certainly continue to be deeply engaged, as while most unavailable players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.

Amorim expects his captain to continue providing insight.

"The guy is a natural leader," he stated. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's always vocal. That is the reason he's the skipper.

"He has flaws sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the other guys training. There are a lot of things you don't see.

"I don't know if he desires my job or not, but he's a leader. He is a leader."

Recovery Timeline for Key Players

While the exact timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.