Boss Ruben Amorim argues that altering Man Utd's tactical system due to external pressure would have meant "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his customary back three formation with wing-backs and opted to use an traditional back four with two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this at times transformed into a six-man defensive block in the latter phase as his squad held on for a win - securing just their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
Despite he once notably remarked that not even the Pope could force him to tweak his approach, Amorim asserts the ability to experiment with alternative setups has always been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only make the switch when his team were performing sufficiently well - lest it would look as if he was succumbing to external noise.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I lacked the players to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the commencement of a journey," he stated.
"Our aim was to establish an philosophy. Currently is a distinct moment. We lack a lot of players, and we need adjust, so they comprehend the reason we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the supporters.
"Whenever media talk about altering the system constantly, I cannot make a change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I feel that is the downfall for the coach.
"Once we are getting results in our preferred setup, then is the moment to change.
"This will help us develop into a more complete team because when our full complement of players are back, we are not planning to play with three defenders all the time."
Squad Challenges Loom Large
Having only two victories in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is correct to claim his side have been playing well.
He is, though, working with a depleted squad, with seven senior players already unavailable for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolves.
That number will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly pushing his boss to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already saying he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Role Endures
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly continue to be a prominent presence, as while most injured stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to carry on providing input.
"He is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and offering advice. He's always communicating. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are flaws at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. After he recovers, he heads to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Key Personnel
While the specific timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
