Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that switching Man Utd's formation due to external noise would have signaled "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his usual three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and opted to use an orthodox four-man defense with two holding midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this effectively functioned as a six-man defensive block in the final stages as his team clung on for a win - securing only their second shutout of the season.
While he once memorably said that not even the Pope could pressure him to tweak his system, Amorim insists the capacity to utilize varied formations has remained part of his strategy.
Yet, he stresses he could only make the switch when his team were faring at an acceptable level - or else it would look as if he was giving in to external criticism.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I lacked the personnel to play well in that system, but it was the beginning of a process," he said.
"We were trying to build an style. Now is a distinct moment. We lack a full complement of players, and we have to adapt, so they see the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the influence of you guys, or the fans.
"Whenever you talk about changing the formation repeatedly, I can't change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is the downfall for the manager.
"Only when we are getting results in our system, then is the right time to evolve.
"We are going to grow into a stronger team because when all the players are back, we are not going to play with a back three all the time."
Availability Challenges Loom Large
With only two wins in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a depleted squad, with seven senior players already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That figure will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly urging his boss to let him to make a comeback following his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
The Captain's Role Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will probably continue to be deeply engaged, as while most unavailable stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to carry on offering guidance.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always communicating. That's why he's the skipper.
"He has bad things sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of good things. After he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Key Personnel
Although the specific timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
