Time is ripe to alter Manchester United's system - Amorim insists.

Head coach Ruben Amorim says that altering Man Utd's tactical system due to external scrutiny would have meant "his demise" for him.

In a first against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his usual three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and instead field an traditional four-man defense with two holding midfielders.

By his own admission this ultimately became a back six in the final minutes as his squad held on for a victory - securing just their second-ever shutout of the season.

Although he once memorably remarked that even the Pope could compel him to adjust his approach, Amorim maintains the capacity to play with varied setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision.

Nevertheless, he stresses he could solely make the switch when his team were doing well enough - or else it would appear as if he was bowing to outside criticism.

"When I arrived here last season, I understood perhaps I don't have the squad to play well in that formation, but it was the start of a journey," he commented.

"Our aim was to build an philosophy. Now is a separate juncture. We are missing a lot of personnel, and we must be flexible, so they comprehend why we are making changes.

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

"Whenever the press criticize altering the formation constantly, I can't change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of external voices and I believe that is the downfall for the manager.

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

"We will grow into a stronger team because when all the players are available, we are not going to play with three defenders in every match."

Squad Crisis Continue

With just two victories in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to state his team have been playing well.

He is, nonetheless, working with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.

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

Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly urging his boss to allow him to return following his hamstring injury.

"Bruno is already insisting he needs to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."

Fernandes' Influence Endures

However, the Portuguese star will likely still be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.

Amorim expects his captain to continue providing guidance.

"He is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly communicating. That's why he's the captain.

"He has flaws sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the other guys practicing. There are a many things you don't see.

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

Recovery Schedule for Injured Players

While the specific timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.