Boss Ruben Amorim says that switching Man Utd's formation due to external noise would have meant "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his trademark back three setup with wing-backs and instead deploy an orthodox four-man defense with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this at times became a back six in the latter stages as his team clung on for a win - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
Despite he once notably said that even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his approach, Amorim maintains the option to experiment with varied setups has remained part of his plan.
Yet, he stresses he could only alter the tactics when his team were performing sufficiently well - lest it would look as if he was bowing to external noise.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I don't have the personnel to play well in that formation, but it was the beginning of a project," he commented.
"We were trying to establish an identity. Currently is a different time. We don't have a full complement of players, and we must be flexible, so they comprehend the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the demands of journalists, or the supporters.
"Whenever the press discuss changing the formation all the time, I can't change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I believe that is the downfall for the manager.
"Once we are playing well in our preferred setup, that is the right time to adapt.
"We are going to become a stronger team because when our full complement of players are available, we are not intending to play with three defenders all the time."
Availability Crisis Persist
Having only two wins in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is correct to state his team have been playing well.
He is, however, working with a depleted roster, with seven senior stars already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That total will rise if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly pressing his manager to let him to return after his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he has to practice," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."
The Captain's Role Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will likely continue to be a prominent presence, as whereas most injured players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue providing insight.
"The guy is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always speaking. That's why he's the captain.
"He has flaws sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Key Players
While the specific date for Fernandes' return - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
