Boss Ruben Amorim contends that altering Man Utd's tactical system due to external scrutiny would have meant "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his trademark back three setup with wing-backs and opted to deploy an traditional back four with two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the closing minutes as his side clung on for a win - securing only their second clean sheet of the campaign.
While he once notably remarked that even the highest authority could compel him to change his approach, Amorim maintains the ability to experiment with alternative formations has remained part of his strategy.
Yet, he clarifies he could only implement the change when his team were doing sufficiently well - lest it would look as if he was giving in to external pressure.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized perhaps I didn't possess the players to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the start of a journey," he stated.
"The goal was to build an philosophy. Today is a distinct time. We are missing a full complement of players, and we have to be flexible, so they see why we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the pressure of you guys, or the faithful.
"When the press discuss altering the system constantly, I cannot make a change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I feel that is a disaster for the coach.
"When we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to change.
"We will grow into a stronger squad because when all the personnel are back, we are not intending to use three defenders in every match."
Injury Challenges Continue
Having just two wins in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his side have been in good form.
He is, though, managing with a injury-ravaged squad, with multiple first-team players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That total will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly pressing his manager to let him to return after his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
The Captain's Influence Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be a prominent presence, as while most unavailable players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to carry on providing input.
"He is a leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's always speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are flaws sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. After he recovers, he goes to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Injured Personnel
While the specific timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
