Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that altering Man Utd's formation due to public noise would have signaled "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his customary three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and opted to field an traditional back four with two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately functioned as a back six in the latter phase as his squad dug in for a crucial result - securing just their second clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once memorably stated that even the Pope could pressure him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the capacity to play with varied formations has always been part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he clarifies he could solely make the switch when his team were doing at an acceptable level - or else it would appear as if he was giving in to external criticism.
"At the time I came here last season, I realized perhaps I lacked the personnel to play well in that formation, but it was the commencement of a project," he said.
"Our aim was to forge an identity. Now is a different juncture. We are missing a full complement of personnel, and we have to adapt, so they see the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the influence of journalists, or the supporters.
"Whenever you talk about altering the formation constantly, I cannot make a change because the players will understand I'm altering things because of you and I think that is the end for the manager.
"Once we are getting results in our preferred setup, then is the moment to evolve.
"We are going to grow into a more complete squad because when all the players are available, we are not going to use three defenders exclusively."
Availability Challenges Continue
With only two wins in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to say his team have been in good form.
He is, though, managing with a severely stretched roster, with multiple first-team players already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That total will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be pushing his manager to let him to return after his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already saying he has to practice," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Leadership Is Unwavering
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be a prominent presence, as while most unavailable players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue offering input.
"He is a leader," he declared. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's always vocal. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are negative aspects sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the rest of the squad practicing. There are a many things you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."
Return Schedule for Injured Personnel
While the specific timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
