The moment is ripe to switch Man Utd's formation - the manager insists.

Boss Ruben Amorim contends that changing Man Utd's tactical system due to media noise would have been "the end" for him.

Initially against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his customary back three setup with wide defenders and opted to field an orthodox four-man defense with two central midfielders.

By his own admission this at times transformed into a six-man defensive block in the final phase as his squad held on for a victory - securing just their second shutout of the campaign.

While he once famously stated that even the Pope could force him to change his system, Amorim maintains the capacity to utilize alternative formations has remained part of his strategy.

Yet, he emphasizes he could solely alter the tactics when his team were doing well enough - or else it would appear as if he was succumbing to external criticism.

"When I came here the previous campaign, I recognized perhaps I don't have the personnel to play well in that system, but it was the commencement of a journey," he commented.

"The goal was to forge an style. Today is a separate time. We are missing a lot of personnel, and we must adjust, so they comprehend the reason we are switching things up.

"It is not because of the pressure of you guys, or the supporters.

"Whenever media talk about altering the system repeatedly, I cannot change because the players will believe I'm changing because of you and I believe that is the end for the manager.

"Only when we are playing well in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to adapt.

"We will grow into a better team because when all the personnel are available, we are not planning to play with a back three all the time."

Squad Challenges Persist

With only two victories in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to say his side have been playing well.

He is, nonetheless, managing with a depleted squad, with multiple first-team stars already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.

That number will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.

Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly pushing his manager to let him to return after his muscle injury.

"Fernandes is already saying he needs to practice," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."

The Captain's Role Remains

However, the 31-year-old will likely still be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable players watch matches from a private box, 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 offering input.

"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.

"He has negative aspects at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of strengths. Even after he recovers, he goes to watch the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.

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

Return Schedule for Injured Personnel

While the exact timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.