Manager Ruben Amorim says that altering Man Utd's tactical system due to media pressure would have signaled "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his usual three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and instead use an standard four-man defense shielded by two central midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately became a six-man defensive block in the latter stages as his team dug in for a crucial result - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
While he once memorably said that not even the highest authority could compel him to adjust his approach, Amorim insists the capacity to experiment with alternative formations has consistently been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only make the switch when his team were performing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would seem as if he was giving in to external noise.
"When I arrived here last season, I understood perhaps I didn't possess the players to excel in that system, but it was the beginning of a process," he commented.
"We were trying to forge an identity. Today is a different moment. We don't have a full complement of players, and we have to adjust, so they understand the reason we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the influence of the media, or the supporters.
"When media criticize changing the system constantly, I cannot make a change because the players will think I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is a disaster for the manager.
"When we are playing well in our system, then is the moment to adapt.
"We will become a stronger side because when all the personnel return, we are not planning to employ a back three exclusively."
Injury Crisis Continue
Having just two wins in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to say his team have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, managing with a severely stretched squad, with multiple first-team players already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That total will rise if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
However, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be deeply engaged, as whereas most unavailable players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to continue providing input.
"The guy is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's always communicating. That's why he's the captain.
"He has bad things sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he finishes treatment, he goes to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Injured Personnel
Although the exact date for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
