The moment is ripe to switch Manchester United's system - Amorim states.

Manager Ruben Amorim argues that switching Manchester United's formation due to media scrutiny would have been "his demise" for him.

In a first against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his usual back three formation with wing-backs and opted to use an traditional back four with two holding midfielders.

He himself conceded this effectively became a six-man defensive block in the closing minutes as his squad held on for a victory - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.

Despite he once famously said that not even the Pope could compel him to adjust his approach, Amorim asserts the option to play with alternative formations has consistently been part of his plan.

However, he emphasizes he could only make the switch when his team were performing well enough - lest it would appear as if he was succumbing to external pressure.

"When I came here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I didn't possess the squad to excel in that formation, but it was the start of a process," he stated.

"We were trying to establish an identity. Today is a separate moment. We lack a lot of personnel, and we have to adapt, so they understand why we are making changes.

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

"Whenever the press criticize altering the formation constantly, I cannot make a change because the squad will think I'm changing because of you and I think that is the end for the coach.

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

"We are going to grow into a better team because when our full complement of personnel are back, we are not intending to employ three defenders exclusively."

Availability Crisis Continue

Having just two victories in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to say his side have been in good form.

He is, though, managing with a severely stretched squad, with seven senior stars already unavailable for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.

That number will grow if playmaker Mason Mount fails to shake off the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.

Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pressing his manager to allow him to return after his muscle problem.

"Fernandes is already insisting he needs to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."

The Captain's Influence Remains

However, the 31-year-old will probably still be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.

Amorim expects his captain to continue providing insight.

"He is a leader," he declared. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and offering advice. He's constantly communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.

"He has bad things at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.

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

Return Timeline for Injured Personnel

While the exact timeline for the captain's return - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.