Manager Ruben Amorim contends that changing Manchester United's formation due to public noise would have been "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his usual back three setup with wide defenders and instead deploy an standard back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively transformed into a back six in the final minutes as his team dug in for a victory - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
While he once notably stated that not even the highest authority could pressure him to change his approach, Amorim asserts the ability to utilize different formations has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
However, he emphasizes he could only implement the change when his team were performing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would look as if he was bowing to outside noise.
"At the time I arrived here last season, I understood maybe I didn't possess the personnel to perform effectively in that system, but it was the beginning of a process," he commented.
"Our aim was to forge an philosophy. Currently is a different moment. We don't have a full complement of personnel, and we need adjust, so they understand the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the influence of journalists, or the supporters.
"When the press talk about altering the formation repeatedly, I cannot change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is a disaster for the manager.
"Once we are playing well in our system, that becomes the right time to change.
"We are going to develop into a better side because when our full complement of players are back, we are not going to play with three defenders all the time."
Squad Challenges Persist
Having only two victories in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, though, operating with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven first-team stars already ruled out for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That figure will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his manager to let him to make a comeback after his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already insisting he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
The Captain's Role Remains
However, the Portuguese star will probably continue to be deeply engaged, as while most injured 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 anticipates his leader to continue providing insight.
"He is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has bad things at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the other guys training. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Key Players
While the exact timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of other injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
