Head coach Ruben Amorim says that changing Man Utd's tactical system due to media pressure would have signaled "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his usual back three formation with wing-backs and chose to deploy an orthodox back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this at times transformed into a back six in the final phase as his squad clung on for a win - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
Although he once memorably remarked that even the highest authority could compel him to change his system, Amorim insists the option to utilize different setups has always been part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could solely alter the tactics when his team were faring at an acceptable level - or else it would appear as if he was succumbing to external noise.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I don't have the personnel to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the commencement of a journey," he said.
"We were trying to build an identity. Now is a different moment. We don't have a full complement of players, and we have to adapt, so they see why we are making changes.
"It is not because of the demands of the media, or the faithful.
"Whenever the press talk about altering the formation repeatedly, I can't change because the players will believe I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is the end for the coach.
"Once we are playing well in our preferred setup, that is the moment to evolve.
"We will become a better team because when our full complement of players return, we are not planning to play with a back three all the time."
Availability Challenges Persist
With only two victories in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is correct to state his side have been playing well.
He is, though, working with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior players already unavailable for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolves.
That number will grow if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pressing his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already saying he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be a prominent presence, as while most injured players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue offering input.
"He is a leader," he declared. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always speaking. That's why he's the captain.
"He has flaws sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. After he recovers, he heads to watch the rest of the squad practicing. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. He is a leader."
Return Schedule for Injured Players
While the specific date for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
