Boss Ruben Amorim argues that changing Manchester United's formation due to public noise would have meant "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his usual three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and opted to field an orthodox back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this ultimately became a six-man defensive block in the final stages as his squad dug in for a win - securing just their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
While he once notably said that not even the highest authority could compel him to adjust his system, Amorim insists the capacity to play with varied setups has always been part of his long-term vision.
However, he stresses he could only alter the tactics when his team were doing at an acceptable level - or else it would look as if he was bowing to external pressure.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I lacked the personnel to play well in that system, but it was the commencement of a journey," he stated.
"The goal was to build an philosophy. Now is a separate juncture. We are missing a full complement of players, and we have to adapt, so they see the reason we are making changes.
"It is not because of the influence of journalists, or the supporters.
"Whenever the press discuss altering the formation repeatedly, I cannot make a change because the players will understand I'm changing because of you and I believe that is the downfall for the manager.
"When we are playing well in our preferred setup, then is the moment to evolve.
"We are going to develop into a more complete squad because when our full complement of players are back, we are not intending to use three defenders exclusively."
Injury Issues Persist
With just two wins in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to state his side have been playing well.
He is, though, managing with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior players already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That total will grow if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his boss to allow him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already saying he has to train," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will almost certainly continue to be heavily involved, as while most injured players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to continue providing guidance.
"The guy is a natural 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 negative aspects at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. He is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Key Personnel
While the precise date for the captain's return - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
