Boss Ruben Amorim says that changing Man Utd's formation due to external noise would have signaled "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his trademark back three formation with wide defenders and instead use an standard back four shielded by two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately functioned as a six-man defensive block in the latter minutes as his side held on for a crucial result - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once memorably remarked that not even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim insists the option to experiment with varied formations has remained part of his strategy.
However, he clarifies he could only make the switch when his team were faring sufficiently well - or else it would appear as if he was succumbing to external criticism.
"At the time I came here last season, I understood maybe I don't have the personnel to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the beginning of a project," he said.
"Our aim was to establish an identity. Now is a separate moment. We don't have a full complement of players, and we must adjust, so they see the reason we are switching things up.
"This isn't because of the demands of the media, or the supporters.
"When you criticize altering the system repeatedly, I cannot change because the players will think I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is a disaster for the coach.
"Only when we are getting results in our system, that becomes the right time to evolve.
"This will help us develop into a stronger team because when our full complement of personnel are back, we are not planning to employ a back three in every match."
Squad Crisis Persist
With only two victories in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to state his team have been playing well.
He is, however, managing with a severely stretched roster, with seven senior players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That number will grow if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the injury 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 understood to be pushing his manager to allow him to make a comeback after his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already insisting he needs to practice," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
The Captain's Role Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably still be heavily involved, as while most unavailable players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to continue providing insight.
"He is a natural leader," he declared. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's always speaking. That's why he's the captain.
"There are negative aspects sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even 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 wants my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Key Personnel
Although the specific date for Fernandes' return - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
