Boss Ruben Amorim contends that altering Manchester United's tactical system due to external scrutiny would have signaled "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his customary three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and instead field an standard four-man defense with two central midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the latter phase as his squad dug in for a win - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
Although he once notably remarked that even the highest authority could force him to change his system, Amorim insists the capacity to utilize varied setups has remained part of his strategy.
However, he stresses he could solely implement the change when his team were doing well enough - or else it would seem as if he was giving in to external criticism.
"When I came here last season, I recognized maybe I don't have the personnel to perform effectively in that system, but it was the start of a process," he stated.
"The goal was to forge an philosophy. Now is a distinct time. We are missing a lot of personnel, and we must adapt, so they see the reason we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the demands of journalists, or the fans.
"When you criticize altering the system constantly, I can't make a change because the players will think I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is the downfall for the manager.
"Once we are playing well in our system, that becomes the opportunity to change.
"This will help us grow into a better side because when our full complement of players return, we are not planning to employ three defenders exclusively."
Squad Issues Loom Large
Having just two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to state his team have been in good form.
He is, though, working with a injury-ravaged squad, with multiple senior players already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That number will rise if midfielder Mason Mount fails to shake off the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves match, despite the fact he is understood to be urging his manager to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already saying he has to train," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Leadership Endures
However, the Portuguese star will likely still be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue providing guidance.
"He is a leader," he stated. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always speaking. That's why he's the captain.
"There are negative aspects at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he recovers, he goes to watch the other guys practicing. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Injured Players
While the specific timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
