Boss Ruben Amorim contends that switching Man Utd's formation due to media pressure would have signaled "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his customary back three formation with wide defenders and instead field an traditional four-man defense with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this at times functioned as a six-man defensive block in the latter minutes as his team clung on for a victory - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once notably remarked that not even the Pope could pressure him to tweak his approach, Amorim maintains the ability to experiment with varied formations has remained part of his long-term vision.
However, he emphasizes he could only alter the tactics when his team were performing well enough - or else it would appear as if he was giving in to external noise.
"When I came here last season, I realized maybe I lacked the players to excel in that formation, but it was the beginning of a journey," he commented.
"We were trying to establish an philosophy. Currently is a distinct juncture. We are missing a full complement of personnel, and we have to adapt, so they see the reason we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the demands of you guys, or the supporters.
"When media discuss altering the system repeatedly, I cannot change because the squad will believe I'm changing because of you and I believe that is the downfall for the manager.
"Once we are performing strongly in our system, that is the right time to change.
"This will help us grow into a better squad because when our full complement of personnel are available, we are not going to play with a back three exclusively."
Injury Crisis Loom Large
Having only two victories in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to state his side have been in good form.
He is, though, operating with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven senior stars already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That total will rise if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is reportedly pressing his manager to allow him to return after his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already insisting he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will probably still be heavily involved, as while most unavailable stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue offering guidance.
"The guy is a leader," he stated. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's constantly communicating. That's why he's the captain.
"He has bad things at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even after he recovers, he goes to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."
Return Timeline for Key Personnel
While the specific timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
