Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that changing Man Utd's tactical system due to media noise would have meant "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his customary three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and chose to field an standard back four shielded by two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times transformed into a back six in the latter minutes as his team clung on for a victory - securing only their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
Despite he once memorably remarked that not even the Pope could compel him to tweak his approach, Amorim maintains the ability to utilize different setups has always been part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only make the switch when his team were doing sufficiently well - otherwise it would look as if he was giving in to external criticism.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I lacked the personnel to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the beginning of a project," he said.
"Our aim was to establish an style. Now is a distinct juncture. We lack a full complement of personnel, and we have to be flexible, so they see the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the influence of you guys, or the supporters.
"Whenever the press discuss altering the system repeatedly, I can't make a change because the squad will think I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is the downfall for the coach.
"Once we are playing well in our system, then is the opportunity to adapt.
"This will help us grow into a more complete side because when our full complement of personnel are back, we are not going to use a back three exclusively."
Squad Issues Loom Large
Having only two victories in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, however, working with a severely stretched roster, with multiple first-team stars already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That total will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly urging his manager to allow him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can write that."
Fernandes' Role Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably still be heavily involved, as while most unavailable stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to continue providing insight.
"The guy 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 communicating. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are bad things at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of good things. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects you don't see.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Key Personnel
Although the specific date for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
