Manager Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's formation due to media scrutiny would have been "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his customary back three formation with wide defenders and opted to use an standard four-man defense shielded by two central midfielders.
By his own admission this at times became a six-man defensive block in the latter minutes as his side clung on for a victory - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
Despite he once memorably remarked that even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim insists the ability to utilize alternative formations has always been part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only alter the tactics when his team were performing at an acceptable level - lest it would seem as if he was giving in to outside noise.
"When I arrived here last season, I realized perhaps I don't have the squad to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the start of a project," he commented.
"Our aim was to establish an philosophy. Now is a separate time. We are missing a lot of personnel, and we have to be flexible, so they see why we are changing.
"This isn't because of the demands of the media, or the faithful.
"When the press talk about altering the formation constantly, I can't change because the squad will believe I'm changing because of external voices and I believe that is a disaster for the coach.
"When we are performing strongly in our system, that is the opportunity to change.
"We will develop into a stronger squad because when our full complement of players are back, we are not going to use a back three exclusively."
Injury Crisis Continue
Having only two victories in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to claim his side have been playing well.
He is, however, working with a injury-ravaged squad, with seven senior players already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That number will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced 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 let him to make a comeback after his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."
The Captain's Leadership Remains
However, the 31-year-old will likely still be a prominent presence, as whereas most injured stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue offering input.
"He is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's always speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to watch the other guys training. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Players
Although the specific timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
