🔗 Share this article Time is ripe to switch Man Utd's system - the manager insists. Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was one of multiple first-team stars to miss the holiday period victory against Newcastle. Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that changing Man Utd's formation due to public noise would have been "his demise" for him. For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his trademark back three setup with wing-backs and instead deploy an orthodox back four with two central midfielders. By his own admission this ultimately functioned as a back six in the closing stages as his side clung on for a victory - securing just their second shutout of the campaign. While he once famously stated that not even the highest authority could compel him to tweak his approach, Amorim maintains the capacity to play with varied formations has remained part of his strategy. Yet, he stresses he could only implement the change when his team were faring at an acceptable level - lest it would seem as if he was giving in to external pressure. "At the time I came here the previous campaign, I recognized perhaps I lacked the personnel to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the beginning of a project," he commented. "We were trying to forge an style. Now is a distinct moment. We lack a lot of players, and we need adjust, so they understand why we are changing. "The change isn't because of the demands of journalists, or the supporters. "Whenever media talk about changing the formation repeatedly, I can't make a change because the squad will believe I'm altering things because of you and I think that is the end for the coach. "When we are playing well in our system, that becomes the moment to adapt. "This will help us develop into a more complete squad because when all the personnel are available, we are not intending to play with a back three in every match." Availability Issues Persist Having just two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been in good form. He is, though, operating with a severely stretched squad, with multiple first-team players already unavailable for the upcoming home game against winless Wolves. That total will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time. Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be pushing his manager to let him to return following his hamstring problem. "Fernandes is already saying 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." Fernandes' Leadership Remains However, the 31-year-old will probably still be a prominent presence, as while most unavailable stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game. Amorim is sure his leader to continue offering input. "The guy is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the skipper. "There are flaws at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. Even after he recovers, he goes to watch the rest of the squad 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 leader. He is a true captain." Recovery Schedule for Key Personnel While the specific timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was one of multiple first-team stars to miss the holiday period victory against Newcastle. Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that changing Man Utd's formation due to public noise would have been "his demise" for him. For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his trademark back three setup with wing-backs and instead deploy an orthodox back four with two central midfielders. By his own admission this ultimately functioned as a back six in the closing stages as his side clung on for a victory - securing just their second shutout of the campaign. While he once famously stated that not even the highest authority could compel him to tweak his approach, Amorim maintains the capacity to play with varied formations has remained part of his strategy. Yet, he stresses he could only implement the change when his team were faring at an acceptable level - lest it would seem as if he was giving in to external pressure. "At the time I came here the previous campaign, I recognized perhaps I lacked the personnel to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the beginning of a project," he commented. "We were trying to forge an style. Now is a distinct moment. We lack a lot of players, and we need adjust, so they understand why we are changing. "The change isn't because of the demands of journalists, or the supporters. "Whenever media talk about changing the formation repeatedly, I can't make a change because the squad will believe I'm altering things because of you and I think that is the end for the coach. "When we are playing well in our system, that becomes the moment to adapt. "This will help us develop into a more complete squad because when all the personnel are available, we are not intending to play with a back three in every match." Availability Issues Persist Having just two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been in good form. He is, though, operating with a severely stretched squad, with multiple first-team players already unavailable for the upcoming home game against winless Wolves. That total will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time. Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be pushing his manager to let him to return following his hamstring problem. "Fernandes is already saying 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." Fernandes' Leadership Remains However, the 31-year-old will probably still be a prominent presence, as while most unavailable stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game. Amorim is sure his leader to continue offering input. "The guy is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the skipper. "There are flaws at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. Even after he recovers, he goes to watch the rest of the squad 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 leader. He is a true captain." Recovery Schedule for Key Personnel While the specific timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.