The moment is right to switch Man Utd's system - the manager insists.

Boss Ruben Amorim contends that altering Man Utd's formation due to public pressure would have been "his demise" for him.

For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his trademark three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and opted to field an standard back four with two central midfielders.

He himself conceded this effectively became a back six in the latter minutes as his team dug in for a crucial result - securing just their second clean sheet of the campaign.

Despite he once famously stated that not even the Pope could force him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the capacity to play with varied formations has remained part of his long-term vision.

Yet, he clarifies 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 outside criticism.

"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I didn't possess the players to excel in that system, but it was the start of a process," he stated.

"We were trying to forge an philosophy. Now is a distinct moment. We lack a full complement of personnel, and we must be flexible, so they comprehend the reason we are changing.

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

"Whenever media criticize changing the formation all the time, I can't make a change because the players will think I'm changing because of you and I think that is the downfall for the manager.

"Once we are playing well in our preferred setup, then is the moment to evolve.

"This will help us grow into a better team because when all the players return, we are not planning to use three defenders in every match."

Squad Issues Loom Large

With only two wins in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to say his team have been playing well.

He is, though, managing with a depleted squad, with multiple first-team players already ruled out for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolves.

That total will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.

Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be pressing his boss to allow him to make a comeback following his muscle injury.

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

Fernandes' Leadership Is Unwavering

Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be heavily involved, as while most unavailable players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.

Amorim is sure his leader to continue offering guidance.

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

"He has negative aspects at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.

"I don't know if he wants my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."

Return Timeline for Key Players

While the exact date for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.