Boss Ruben Amorim argues that altering Man Utd's formation due to media noise would have been "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his usual back three setup with wide defenders and opted to field an orthodox back four with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the closing phase as his squad dug in for a win - securing just their second shutout of the campaign.
Despite he once famously said that even the highest authority could force him to change his approach, Amorim asserts the ability to utilize varied setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
However, he clarifies he could solely implement the change when his team were doing well enough - or else it would appear as if he was giving in to external pressure.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized perhaps I didn't possess the personnel to play well in that system, but it was the beginning of a process," he said.
"We were trying to build an philosophy. Today is a different moment. We don't have a lot of players, and we must adjust, so they understand the reason we are switching things up.
"This isn't because of the influence of you guys, or the faithful.
"Whenever you discuss changing the system constantly, I can't make a change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is the downfall for the manager.
"Once we are playing well in our system, then is the opportunity to evolve.
"We will become a better side because when our full complement of players return, we are not going to employ a back three in every match."
Squad Challenges Loom Large
Having just two wins in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to say his side have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, managing with a injury-ravaged squad, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolves.
That figure will grow if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is understood to be urging his manager to let him to return after his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already insisting he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Role Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will almost certainly continue to be a prominent presence, as while most unavailable players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to carry on providing guidance.
"The guy is a leader," he declared. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of strengths. Even after he recovers, he goes to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. He is a true captain."
Return Schedule for Injured Players
Although the exact timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
