Now is right to alter Manchester United's system - Ruben Amorim declares.

Boss Ruben Amorim argues that switching Manchester United's formation due to media scrutiny would have been "the finish" for him.

For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his trademark three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and chose to use an orthodox back four shielded by two defensive midfielders.

By his own admission this at times functioned as a back six in the latter minutes as his side clung on for a win - securing just their second shutout of the campaign.

While he once famously stated that not even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his approach, Amorim asserts the capacity to play with different formations has remained part of his plan.

Nevertheless, he clarifies he could only make the switch when his team were performing sufficiently well - lest it would seem as if he was succumbing to external criticism.

"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I don't have the squad to excel in that system, but it was the start of a process," he stated.

"We were trying to establish an identity. Today is a different moment. We don't have a full complement of players, and we must adapt, so they see the reason we are switching things up.

"This isn't because of the influence of the media, or the faithful.

"Whenever you talk about altering the system all the time, I cannot change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I feel that is the end for the manager.

"Only when we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that is the right time to evolve.

"We are going to become a more complete side because when all the personnel are back, we are not going to play with three defenders exclusively."

Availability Crisis Persist

With just two victories in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is right to claim his side have been playing well.

He is, nonetheless, working with a injury-ravaged roster, with multiple first-team stars already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolves.

That number will increase if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.

Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly urging his manager to let him to return following his hamstring problem.

"Fernandes is already saying he has to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."

Fernandes' Role Remains

However, the 31-year-old will probably still be heavily involved, as whereas most injured stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.

Amorim expects his captain to continue offering insight.

"He is a leader," he declared. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That's why he's the skipper.

"There are flaws sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of strengths. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the rest of the squad practicing. There are a many things that go unnoticed.

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

Return Timeline for Injured Players

While the precise date for the captain's return - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.