Now is right to alter Man Utd's formation - Ruben Amorim insists.

Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that altering Man Utd's formation due to external scrutiny would have been "his demise" for him.

In a first against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his customary back three formation with wide defenders and instead use an orthodox back four with two central midfielders.

By his own admission this ultimately functioned as a six-man defensive block in the closing phase as his team dug in for a crucial result - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the season.

Although he once memorably stated that not even the highest authority could force him to change his system, Amorim insists the capacity to play with different formations has consistently been part of his strategy.

Yet, he stresses he could solely implement the change when his team were performing well enough - otherwise it would seem as if he was succumbing to outside pressure.

"At the time I came here last season, I realized maybe I didn't possess the players to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the beginning of a journey," he said.

"Our aim was to establish an identity. Currently is a different time. We don't have a lot of personnel, and we need adjust, so they understand the reason we are changing.

"The change isn't because of the demands of you guys, or the fans.

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

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

"We will develop into a more complete side because when all the players return, we are not planning to play with three defenders in every match."

Squad Challenges Continue

Having only two wins in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his side have been in good form.

He is, nonetheless, managing with a severely stretched roster, with seven first-team players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.

That number will increase if midfielder 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 be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be pushing his manager to let him to return after his muscle injury.

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

The Captain's Role Endures

Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will likely continue to be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted 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 carry on offering insight.

"He is a leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the skipper.

"There are bad things sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he recovers, he goes to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects you don't see.

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

Return Schedule for Key Personnel

Although the exact date for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.