Now is ripe to switch Man Utd's tactical setup - the manager states.

Manager Ruben Amorim argues that switching Manchester United's formation due to public noise would have signaled "his demise" for him.

For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his customary back three formation with wing-backs and opted to field an orthodox back four with two central midfielders.

He himself conceded this ultimately became a back six in the final phase as his team held on for a win - securing only their second clean sheet of the campaign.

While he once famously said that even the highest authority could force him to tweak his system, Amorim insists the ability to experiment with varied formations has consistently been part of his plan.

However, he clarifies he could solely make the switch when his team were doing well enough - otherwise it would look as if he was bowing to outside noise.

"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized perhaps I lacked the squad to play well in that system, but it was the commencement of a journey," he said.

"The goal was to establish an style. Now is a distinct moment. We don't have a full complement of players, and we have to adjust, so they comprehend why we are making changes.

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

"Whenever the press talk about changing the system constantly, I cannot change because the players will think I'm altering things because of external voices and I feel that is a disaster for the coach.

"Once we are playing well in our preferred setup, that is the right time to adapt.

"We will develop into a stronger squad because when all the personnel return, we are not planning to employ a back three all the time."

Squad Crisis Persist

Having only two victories in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to claim his side have been in good form.

He is, however, working with a depleted squad, with seven first-team stars already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolves.

That figure will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.

Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be pressing his manager to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring injury.

"Bruno is already insisting he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."

Fernandes' Leadership Remains

Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will likely still be a prominent presence, as while most injured stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on 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.

"He is a leader," he declared. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's always vocal. That's why he's the skipper.

"He has negative aspects at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a lot of good things. After he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad training. 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 Key Personnel

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