The moment is right to change Man Utd's system - the manager states.

Manager Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's formation due to media pressure would have signaled "his demise" for him.

Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his customary back three setup with wide defenders and chose to field an standard four-man defense shielded by two central midfielders.

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

Despite he once notably stated that even the Pope could pressure him to tweak his approach, Amorim maintains the option to play with alternative setups has remained part of his long-term vision.

However, he emphasizes he could only make the switch when his team were performing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would appear as if he was bowing to outside pressure.

"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I lacked the squad to excel in that formation, but it was the commencement of a project," he said.

"Our aim was to build an philosophy. Today is a different juncture. We lack a lot of players, and we need be flexible, so they comprehend why we are changing.

"It is not because of the influence of journalists, or the fans.

"Whenever you criticize changing the system all the time, I can't make a change because the squad will believe I'm altering things because of external voices and I feel that is a disaster for the coach.

"Once we are getting results in our preferred setup, that becomes the moment to adapt.

"We will become a stronger side because when all the players are available, we are not going to employ three defenders exclusively."

Availability Crisis Continue

With only two wins in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to state his team have been playing well.

He is, though, managing with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior stars already confirmed absent for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolves.

That figure will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.

Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be urging his boss to allow him to return after his hamstring problem.

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

The Captain's Role Endures

However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be a prominent presence, as whereas most injured players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.

Amorim expects his leader to carry on offering input.

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

"There are negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the other guys training. There are a many things that go unnoticed.

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

Return Schedule for Key Personnel

Although the exact timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.