Time is optimal to switch Manchester United's system - the manager declares.

Boss Ruben Amorim says that changing Manchester United's formation due to public noise would have meant "the finish" for him.

In a first against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his usual three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and chose to field an standard four-man defense shielded by two central midfielders.

Amorim acknowledged this effectively became a back six in the closing phase as his team held on for a win - securing just their second-ever shutout of the season.

Although he once memorably said that even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his approach, Amorim maintains the option to experiment with different setups has consistently been part of his strategy.

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

"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I don't have the squad to play well in that system, but it was the beginning of a project," he commented.

"The goal was to establish an philosophy. Now is a separate juncture. We lack a lot of personnel, and we must adjust, so they see the reason we are changing.

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

"Whenever the press discuss altering the system repeatedly, I can't change because the players will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I believe that is a disaster for the manager.

"Once we are performing strongly in our system, that becomes the right time to change.

"We will develop into a stronger squad because when all the players are available, we are not going to play with three defenders exclusively."

Injury Issues Persist

Having just two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been in good form.

He is, however, managing with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven senior players already confirmed absent for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.

That number will rise if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.

Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves match, despite the fact he is understood to be pushing his manager to allow him to return following his muscle problem.

"Bruno is already telling me he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can write that."

Fernandes' Role Remains

However, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be deeply engaged, as while most injured stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.

Amorim anticipates his captain to carry on offering guidance.

"The guy is a leader," he declared. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's always vocal. That is the reason he's the skipper.

"There are negative aspects sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the other guys training. There are a lot of things you don't see.

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

Recovery Timeline for Injured Players

While the precise date for the captain's return - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.