Ruben Amorim has insisted that bowing to media pressure over his tactical approach would have spelled disaster for his Manchester United tenure ahead of Tuesday night’s Premier League showdown with Wolves.
The Portuguese manager abandoned his preferred back three with wing-backs for the Newcastle United fixture on Boxing Day, opting instead for a traditional back four alongside two holding midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged the setup evolved into a back six during the closing stages as United secured victory and just their second clean sheet this campaign.
“When you [media] talk about changing the system all the time, I cannot change because the players will understand I’m changing because of you and I think that is the end for the manager,” he stated.
Despite once famously declaring that not even the Pope could compel him to alter his system, Amorim maintains that tactical flexibility was always part of his vision.
The head coach explained he could only implement the change once his side were performing sufficiently well, otherwise it would appear he was capitulating to outside noise.
“When I came here last season, I understood maybe I don’t have the players to play well in that system, but it was the beginning of a process,” he said.
Ruben Amorim has insisted that bowing to media pressure over his tactical approach would have spelled disaster for his Manchester United tenure ahead of Tuesday night’s Premier League showdown with Wolves
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“We were trying to build an identity. Today is a different moment. We don’t have a lot of players, and we need to adapt, so they understand why we are changing.
“When we are playing well in our system, that is the moment to change.”
United’s captain Bruno Fernandes will definitely miss the upcoming home fixture against winless Wolves, despite the midfielder’s eagerness to return from the hamstring injury he sustained during the Aston Villa defeat on 21 December.
Five things to know about Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim | PA
“Bruno is already saying he needs to train,” Amorim revealed.
“But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. You can write that.”
The 31-year-old nonetheless remains a visible presence, having watched the pre-match warm-ups from the tunnel entrance before the Newcastle game rather than retreating to a private box.
“The guy is a leader,” Amorim said of his captain.
“He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he’s not talking and speaking. He’s always speaking. That’s why he’s the captain.”
Manchester United will be without Bruno Fernandes for Tuesday night’s Premier League clash with Wolves
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Amorim is contending with a significantly depleted squad, with seven senior players already confirmed as unavailable for the Wolves encounter.
That figure could rise further should Mason Mount fail to recover from the injury that forced his withdrawal at half-time during the Newcastle match.
Fernandes joins Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire on the treatment table, though precise return dates for all four remain unclear.
Some relief is on the horizon, however, with Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo set to rejoin their clubs by the end of January following the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations.
