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

Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that switching Manchester United's formation due to external pressure would have been "the finish" for him.

For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his customary three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and opted to use an orthodox back four shielded by two defensive midfielders.

Amorim acknowledged this effectively became a six-man defensive block in the closing stages as his side dug in for a win - securing only their second clean sheet of the season.

While he once famously said that not even the Pope could pressure him to change his system, Amorim maintains the ability to experiment with different setups has remained part of his plan.

Nevertheless, he stresses he could only implement the change when his team were performing at an acceptable level - or else it would seem as if he was giving in to external pressure.

"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I didn't possess the personnel to play well in that formation, but it was the commencement of a journey," he commented.

"The goal was to establish an identity. Today is a separate time. We lack a lot of players, and we have to be flexible, so they see why we are changing.

"This isn't because of the demands of journalists, or the faithful.

"Whenever the press discuss changing the system all the time, I can't make a change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is the downfall for the coach.

"When we are getting results in our system, that is the opportunity to adapt.

"This will help us grow into a stronger squad because when our full complement of players return, we are not planning to use a back three exclusively."

Availability Crisis Continue

Having just two victories in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is right to claim his side have been in good form.

He is, nonetheless, working with a depleted roster, with multiple first-team players already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.

That figure will increase if playmaker Mason Mount fails to shake off the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.

Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly urging his manager to allow him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.

"Fernandes is already insisting he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. You can write that."

Fernandes' Role Remains

Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will almost certainly continue to be heavily involved, as while most unavailable players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.

Amorim is sure his leader to continue providing guidance.

"The guy is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the captain.

"There are negative aspects at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of strengths. Even after he recovers, he heads to watch the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.

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

Return Timeline for Key Personnel

Although the specific date for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.