Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim says the timing was finally right to change his team’s formation and insists the decision was not influenced by media pressure.
Amorim moved away from his usual back three for the first time against Newcastle, switching to a more traditional back four with two holding midfielders. The change helped United secure only their second clean sheet of the season, although Amorim admitted the system became very defensive late on as his side held on for the win.
The Portuguese coach explained that changing too early would have looked like he was reacting to outside pressure, which he believes would undermine his authority. He said he always planned to use different formations, but only once the team had built an identity and was performing well enough to understand the reasons behind the change.
Amorim is currently dealing with a depleted squad, with seven senior players unavailable for the match against Wolves. Captain Bruno Fernandes will miss the game despite pushing to return, but Amorim praised his leadership, saying Fernandes continues to influence the team even when injured.
Several key players remain sidelined, though reinforcements are expected later in January when Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo return from the Africa Cup of Nations.
