Now is right to alter Man Utd's system - the manager states.

Manager Ruben Amorim says that altering Manchester United's tactical system due to external scrutiny would have signaled "his demise" for him.

In a first against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his customary back three formation with wide defenders and opted to use an orthodox four-man defense with two defensive midfielders.

Amorim acknowledged this ultimately transformed into a back six in the closing stages as his squad held on for a crucial result - securing just their second shutout of the season.

Despite he once memorably said that even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his approach, Amorim asserts the capacity to experiment with varied setups has remained part of his strategy.

Nevertheless, he clarifies he could solely implement the change when his team were faring sufficiently well - lest it would look as if he was succumbing to outside criticism.

"When I came here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I lacked the players to excel in that system, but it was the start of a project," he commented.

"Our aim was to build an style. Now is a separate time. We are missing a full complement of players, and we must be flexible, so they understand why we are changing.

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

"Whenever the press criticize changing the system repeatedly, I cannot change because the players will believe I'm changing because of external voices and I feel that is a disaster for the coach.

"Only when we are playing well in our system, that is the right time to change.

"This will help us grow into a more complete squad because when all the personnel are available, we are not going to employ three defenders all the time."

Squad Challenges Continue

Having only two victories in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is right to claim his team have been in good form.

He is, though, operating with a severely stretched squad, with seven first-team stars already ruled out for the upcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.

That figure will rise if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.

Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his boss to let him to make a comeback after his hamstring problem.

"Bruno is already saying he has to practice," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."

The Captain's Influence Remains

Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably still be heavily involved, as while most unavailable players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.

Amorim expects his captain to carry on offering guidance.

"He is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's constantly communicating. That's why he's the captain.

"He has negative aspects at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.

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

Return Schedule for Key Players

While the exact timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.