Boss Ruben Amorim contends that changing Man Utd's formation due to external scrutiny would have meant "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his usual three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and instead field an standard back four with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this at times functioned as a six-man defensive block in the closing phase as his squad held on for a win - securing only their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
Despite he once notably said that not even the Pope could force him to adjust his approach, Amorim maintains the option to utilize varied setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he clarifies he could solely make the switch when his team were doing sufficiently well - or else it would look as if he was bowing to external criticism.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I didn't possess the squad to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the commencement of a process," he stated.
"The goal was to establish an identity. Now is a separate juncture. We lack a lot of players, and we have to be flexible, so they comprehend why we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the influence of the media, or the faithful.
"When the press discuss altering the formation repeatedly, I cannot change because the squad will think I'm changing because of you and I feel that is a disaster for the coach.
"When we are playing well in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to evolve.
"We will become a better squad because when our full complement of players are back, we are not going to use a back three exclusively."
Injury Crisis Persist
Having just two victories in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is right to state his side have been playing well.
He is, though, operating with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven senior players already unavailable for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolves.
That number will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be pushing his boss to allow him to return following his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already insisting he needs to practice," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Role Remains
However, the 31-year-old will likely continue to be heavily involved, as while most injured stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to continue offering input.
"He 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 always communicating. That's why he's the skipper.
"He has flaws sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of good things. Even after he recovers, he goes to watch the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I don't know if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Schedule for Injured Players
While the precise timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
