Head coach Ruben Amorim says that changing Man Utd's formation due to public scrutiny would have meant "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his customary three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and chose to field an standard four-man defense shielded by two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively transformed into a back six in the closing phase as his squad held on for a win - securing only their second clean sheet of the season.
Although he once memorably remarked that not even the highest authority could compel him to tweak his system, Amorim asserts the capacity to utilize varied formations has always been part of his long-term vision.
However, he stresses he could solely alter the tactics when his team were doing well enough - or else it would look as if he was bowing to outside noise.
"When I came here last season, I realized maybe I don't have the players to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the beginning of a process," he said.
"We were trying to establish an style. Currently is a separate juncture. We lack a full complement of players, and we need be flexible, so they understand the reason we are changing.
"It is not because of the influence of you guys, or the fans.
"Whenever you criticize changing the formation repeatedly, I can't make a change because the players will believe I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is a disaster for the coach.
"Once we are getting results in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to evolve.
"We are going to grow into a better squad because when our full complement of personnel return, we are not planning to employ a back three all the time."
Injury Crisis Loom Large
With just two wins in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to state his side have been playing well.
He is, however, working with a severely stretched roster, with seven first-team players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That number will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly urging his manager to let him to make a comeback after his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already saying he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
The Captain's Role Remains
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will likely still be a prominent presence, as while most injured players watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to carry on offering guidance.
"The guy is a leader," he stated. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's always vocal. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are bad things sometimes - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a lot of good things. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the other guys training. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Personnel
Although the specific timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
