Boss Ruben Amorim contends that changing Man Utd's formation due to media pressure would have been "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his usual three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and instead use an orthodox four-man defense shielded by two central midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a back six in the latter stages as his squad held on for a victory - securing only their second-ever shutout of the season.
Despite he once memorably said that even the highest authority could force him to change his approach, Amorim insists the option to utilize alternative setups has always been part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could solely alter the tactics when his team were doing at an acceptable level - or else it would appear as if he was bowing to outside criticism.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized perhaps I don't have the players to perform effectively in that system, but it was the commencement of a project," he stated.
"We were trying to establish an identity. Today is a distinct moment. We don't have a lot of personnel, and we must adapt, so they comprehend why we are making changes.
"It is not because of the demands of journalists, or the faithful.
"Whenever media criticize changing the system all the time, I can't change because the players will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I feel that is a disaster for the manager.
"When we are playing well in our preferred setup, that is the moment to change.
"This will help us develop into a stronger squad because when all the personnel return, we are not intending to use a back three all the time."
Squad Challenges Loom Large
With only two wins in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to state his team have been in good form.
He is, however, operating with a severely stretched squad, with multiple first-team stars already confirmed absent for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That number will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable 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, despite the fact he is reportedly urging his manager to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Role Endures
However, the 31-year-old will likely continue to be heavily involved, as whereas most unavailable players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to continue providing input.
"He is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always speaking. That's why he's the skipper.
"He has flaws sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I don't know if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. He is a true captain."
Return Schedule for Key Players
While the specific timeline for Fernandes' return - 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 see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
