Boss Ruben Amorim contends that switching Man Utd's formation due to media noise would have been "the end" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his usual three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and chose to deploy an orthodox back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively transformed into a back six in the closing stages as his squad held on for a victory - securing just their second shutout of the campaign.
While he once memorably stated that not even the Pope could pressure him to tweak his approach, Amorim asserts the ability to experiment with alternative setups has consistently been part of his strategy.
Yet, he clarifies he could solely alter the tactics when his team were performing well enough - lest it would look as if he was giving in to external pressure.
"At the time I arrived here last season, I realized perhaps I lacked the personnel to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the start of a journey," he stated.
"The goal was to build an identity. Today is a distinct time. We are missing a lot of players, and we need adapt, so they see why we are switching things up.
"This isn't because of the influence of you guys, or the faithful.
"When the press discuss changing the system repeatedly, I can't change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of you and I think that is the downfall for the coach.
"Once we are getting results in our preferred setup, then is the right time to adapt.
"We are going to develop into a better squad because when all the personnel are available, we are not planning to play with a back three exclusively."
Squad Crisis Persist
With just two victories in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his side have been playing well.
He is, however, managing with a depleted roster, with multiple first-team players already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That number will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury 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 match, even though he is understood to be urging his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already saying he has to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Leadership Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably still be a prominent presence, as while most injured players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to continue providing insight.
"He is a leader," he declared. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly communicating. That's why 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 recovers, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of things you don't see.
"I don't know if he wants my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Personnel
Although the exact date for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
