Boss Ruben Amorim contends that altering Man Utd's tactical system due to external scrutiny would have been "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his customary three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and chose to deploy an standard four-man defense with two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately transformed into a back six in the final phase as his side held on for a crucial result - securing just their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
Despite he once notably said that not even the Pope could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim maintains the ability to experiment with varied setups has consistently been part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could only alter the tactics when his team were faring sufficiently well - otherwise it would look as if he was bowing to outside criticism.
"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I didn't possess the squad to excel in that system, but it was the beginning of a journey," he stated.
"Our aim was to forge an identity. Today is a distinct time. We don't have a full complement of players, and we have to adapt, so they understand the reason we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the demands of journalists, or the fans.
"Whenever media discuss changing the system all the time, I can't change because the players will think I'm changing because of you and I think that is the end for the coach.
"When we are performing strongly in our system, that is the moment to adapt.
"We will grow into a stronger team because when our full complement of personnel are available, we are not intending to play with three defenders exclusively."
Squad Crisis Loom Large
With only two victories in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to claim his team have been in good form.
He is, however, working with a severely stretched roster, with multiple first-team stars already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That number will rise if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly urging his boss to let him to make a comeback following his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already insisting he has to practice," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Influence Remains
However, the Portuguese star will likely still be a prominent presence, as while most injured players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on providing guidance.
"He is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always vocal. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. After he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Key Players
Although the exact date for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
