Boss Ruben Amorim argues that changing Man Utd's formation due to media noise would have signaled "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his customary back three formation with wide defenders and opted to field an standard back four with two holding midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this effectively functioned as a back six in the closing stages as his team dug in for a crucial result - securing only their second shutout of the campaign.
While he once famously said that even the highest authority could force him to change his system, Amorim asserts the capacity to play with different formations has remained part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he clarifies he could only make the switch when his team were faring sufficiently well - or else it would seem as if he was bowing to outside noise.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I didn't possess the players to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the start of a journey," he commented.
"Our aim was to establish an identity. Now is a distinct moment. We are missing a full complement of personnel, and we need adjust, so they understand the reason we are switching things up.
"This isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the fans.
"Whenever you discuss altering the system repeatedly, I can't make a change because the players will believe I'm altering things because of external voices and I believe that is the downfall for the coach.
"When we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that is the right time to evolve.
"This will help us develop into a more complete squad because when all the personnel are available, we are not going to play with three defenders exclusively."
Injury Challenges Persist
With just two wins in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is correct to claim his side have been in good form.
He is, though, operating with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior players already unavailable for the forthcoming 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 a key name who will be absent for the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is reportedly pressing his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
The Captain's Influence Remains
However, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be a prominent presence, as whereas most injured stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to carry on providing input.
"He is a leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are flaws sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of strengths. After he recovers, he goes to observe the other guys training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."
Recovery Schedule for Key Personnel
While the precise date for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
