Now is ripe to change Manchester United's tactical setup - the manager declares.

Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that switching Man Utd's formation due to external noise would have meant "the end" for him.

For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his trademark back three setup with wing-backs and opted to field an traditional four-man defense with two defensive midfielders.

By his own admission this effectively functioned as a six-man defensive block in the closing minutes as his squad dug in for a victory - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.

While he once notably stated that not even the Pope could compel him to tweak his approach, Amorim maintains the ability to experiment with different formations has always been part of his long-term vision.

However, he stresses he could only alter the tactics when his team were doing well enough - otherwise it would seem as if he was giving in to external criticism.

"At the time I arrived here last season, I realized perhaps I don't have the players to excel in a back three, but it was the commencement of a process," he said.

"The goal was to establish an identity. Today is a different moment. We lack a full complement of players, and we must adapt, so they comprehend why we are changing.

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

"Whenever media criticize altering the system repeatedly, I can't change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of you and I think that is the downfall for the manager.

"When we are getting results in our system, that becomes the right time to evolve.

"We are going to become a more complete team because when all the players are back, we are not intending to employ a back three all the time."

Injury Issues Continue

Having just two victories in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to say his side have been in good form.

He is, though, working with a severely stretched roster, with seven first-team stars already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.

That total will increase if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.

Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be urging his manager to allow him to make a comeback after his muscle injury.

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

Fernandes' Role Endures

However, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.

Amorim anticipates his captain to carry on providing guidance.

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

"He has negative aspects at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even after he recovers, he heads to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.

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

Return Schedule for Injured Personnel

While the specific date for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.