Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that switching Manchester United's formation due to media noise would have signaled "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his customary three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and chose to field an standard back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this at times became a six-man defensive block in the closing stages as his team clung on for a victory - securing just their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
While he once famously said that even the highest authority could compel him to change his approach, Amorim maintains the capacity to experiment with different formations has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only make the switch when his team were faring at an acceptable level - otherwise it would appear as if he was giving in to external criticism.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I lacked the personnel to excel in that formation, but it was the start of a process," he commented.
"The goal was to establish an philosophy. Currently is a distinct moment. We lack a full complement of personnel, and we must adjust, so they see the reason we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the faithful.
"Whenever the press talk about changing the system repeatedly, I can't make a change because the players will think I'm altering things because of you and I think that is a disaster for the manager.
"When we are playing well in our preferred setup, then is the right time to adapt.
"This will help us develop into a more complete side because when all the personnel are back, we are not intending to employ a back three in every match."
Squad Issues Continue
Having just two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to say his side have been playing well.
He is, however, working with a severely stretched squad, with seven first-team players already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That number will increase if playmaker Mason Mount fails to shake off the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly urging his boss to let him to make a comeback after his muscle injury.
"Fernandes is already insisting he needs to train," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Influence Endures
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly continue to be heavily involved, as whereas most injured stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to continue offering guidance.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are bad things at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he recovers, he goes to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of things you don't see.
"I don't know if he desires my job or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Key Personnel
While the specific timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
