🔗 Share this article Time is right to switch Manchester United's tactical setup - the manager declares. Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was one of seven senior stars to miss the Boxing Day win against Newcastle. Manager Ruben Amorim contends that altering Man Utd's formation due to public scrutiny would have meant "his demise" for him. Initially against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his customary back three formation with wide defenders and opted to deploy an standard back four shielded by two holding midfielders. He himself conceded this ultimately functioned as a six-man defensive block in the latter phase as his squad clung on for a win - securing just their second-ever shutout of the campaign. While he once famously said that even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his approach, Amorim asserts the option to experiment with varied setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision. Nevertheless, he stresses he could only make the switch when his team were doing sufficiently well - otherwise it would appear as if he was succumbing to external noise. "When I arrived here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I don't have the squad to play well in a back three, but it was the commencement of a project," he said. "Our aim was to build an philosophy. Now is a different time. We don't have a lot of players, and we must adjust, so they understand why we are changing. "This isn't because of the influence of you guys, or the fans. "When the press discuss altering the system all the time, I can't make a change because the players will think I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is the end for the manager. "Only when we are getting results in our preferred setup, then is the moment to evolve. "This will help us become a stronger squad because when all the players are back, we are not going to play with three defenders in every match." Availability Issues Persist Having only two victories in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his side have been in good form. He is, however, managing with a depleted squad, with multiple first-team stars already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers. That number will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval. Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pushing his manager to allow him to return after his hamstring problem. "Bruno is already telling me he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can quote me on that." Fernandes' Role Is Unwavering Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will probably still be a prominent presence, as while most unavailable stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game. Amorim is sure his leader to continue providing guidance. "He is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly communicating. That is the reason he's the captain. "He has flaws sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of things you don't see. "I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. He is a true captain." Recovery Timeline for Injured Players While the precise date for the captain's comeback - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was one of seven senior stars to miss the Boxing Day win against Newcastle. Manager Ruben Amorim contends that altering Man Utd's formation due to public scrutiny would have meant "his demise" for him. Initially against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his customary back three formation with wide defenders and opted to deploy an standard back four shielded by two holding midfielders. He himself conceded this ultimately functioned as a six-man defensive block in the latter phase as his squad clung on for a win - securing just their second-ever shutout of the campaign. While he once famously said that even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his approach, Amorim asserts the option to experiment with varied setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision. Nevertheless, he stresses he could only make the switch when his team were doing sufficiently well - otherwise it would appear as if he was succumbing to external noise. "When I arrived here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I don't have the squad to play well in a back three, but it was the commencement of a project," he said. "Our aim was to build an philosophy. Now is a different time. We don't have a lot of players, and we must adjust, so they understand why we are changing. "This isn't because of the influence of you guys, or the fans. "When the press discuss altering the system all the time, I can't make a change because the players will think I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is the end for the manager. "Only when we are getting results in our preferred setup, then is the moment to evolve. "This will help us become a stronger squad because when all the players are back, we are not going to play with three defenders in every match." Availability Issues Persist Having only two victories in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his side have been in good form. He is, however, managing with a depleted squad, with multiple first-team stars already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers. That number will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval. Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pushing his manager to allow him to return after his hamstring problem. "Bruno is already telling me he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can quote me on that." Fernandes' Role Is Unwavering Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will probably still be a prominent presence, as while most unavailable stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game. Amorim is sure his leader to continue providing guidance. "He is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly communicating. That is the reason he's the captain. "He has flaws sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of things you don't see. "I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. He is a true captain." Recovery Timeline for Injured Players While the precise date for the captain's comeback - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.