Boss Ruben Amorim says that switching Man Utd's formation due to media scrutiny would have been "the end" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his usual back three formation with wing-backs and chose to field an orthodox back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this at times became a six-man defensive block in the latter stages as his squad held on for a victory - securing just their second shutout of the season.
While he once notably remarked that even the highest authority could force him to tweak his approach, Amorim maintains the capacity to experiment with alternative setups has always been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could solely make the switch when his team were faring at an acceptable level - lest it would seem as if he was giving in to outside noise.
"At the time I arrived here last season, I recognized perhaps I lacked the personnel to play well in a back three, but it was the start of a process," he commented.
"We were trying to build an philosophy. Today is a distinct moment. We lack a lot of personnel, and we must be flexible, so they comprehend why we are making changes.
"It is not because of the influence of you guys, or the faithful.
"Whenever the press criticize altering the system repeatedly, I can't change because the squad will think I'm changing because of external voices and I feel that is a disaster for the manager.
"When we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, then is the moment to change.
"We will become a better side because when all the personnel return, we are not intending to employ three defenders exclusively."
Availability Issues Continue
Having only two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to claim his side have been playing well.
He is, however, working with a severely stretched squad, with seven senior stars already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That figure will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly pressing his manager to let him to make a comeback after his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already insisting he needs to train," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
The Captain's Influence Remains
However, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as while most unavailable players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue providing input.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's always vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has flaws sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even after he recovers, 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 wants my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Personnel
While the specific timeline for the captain's return - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
