Now is optimal to switch Man Utd's tactical setup - Amorim declares.

Manager Ruben Amorim contends that switching Man Utd's tactical system due to external scrutiny would have been "the finish" for him.

For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his usual back three setup with wing-backs and opted to use an orthodox back four shielded by two holding midfielders.

By his own admission this effectively functioned as a six-man defensive block in the closing stages as his squad dug in for a crucial result - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.

Although he once notably remarked that even the highest authority could compel him to tweak his approach, Amorim asserts the option to utilize alternative formations has always been part of his strategy.

However, he stresses he could only alter the tactics when his team were faring sufficiently well - lest it would appear as if he was succumbing to external noise.

"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I don't have the players to excel in that system, but it was the start of a process," he said.

"We were trying to establish an style. Currently is a separate juncture. We are missing a full complement of players, and we have to adapt, so they understand the reason we are making changes.

"This isn't because of the influence of journalists, or the fans.

"When media talk about changing the formation repeatedly, I cannot make a change because the players will think I'm changing because of external voices and I believe that is the end for the manager.

"When we are getting results in our preferred setup, that becomes the opportunity to change.

"We are going to become a better team because when all the personnel are available, we are not intending to use a back three exclusively."

Availability Challenges Continue

Having just two wins in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is right to state his team have been in good form.

He is, though, operating with a injury-ravaged roster, with multiple senior stars already confirmed absent for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.

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

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

"Bruno is already saying he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."

The Captain's Role Endures

However, the 31-year-old will probably still be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.

Amorim expects his captain to continue offering input.

"The guy is a leader," he declared. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.

"He has bad things at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of good things. Even after he recovers, he heads to watch the other guys practicing. There are a lot of things you don't see.

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

Return Schedule for Key Players

Although the specific timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.