Manager Ruben Amorim argues that altering Man Utd's formation due to public noise would have signaled "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his usual back three formation with wide defenders and opted to field an standard four-man defense with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a back six in the latter stages as his squad dug in for a victory - securing just their second shutout of the campaign.
Despite he once notably said that not even the highest authority could force him to change his approach, Amorim asserts the option to utilize alternative setups has consistently been part of his plan.
Yet, he emphasizes he could only make the switch when his team were faring at an acceptable level - lest it would look as if he was giving in to external criticism.
"When I arrived here last season, I understood perhaps I didn't possess the squad to perform effectively in that system, but it was the beginning of a journey," he said.
"Our aim was to forge an style. Now is a different moment. We don't have a full complement of personnel, and we need adapt, so they comprehend the reason we are changing.
"This isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the supporters.
"When the press talk about altering the formation all the time, I can't make a change because the players will believe I'm altering things because of you and I feel that is the downfall for the manager.
"Once we are getting results in our system, then is the moment to change.
"This will help us become a better side because when all the personnel are available, we are not planning to use a back three all the time."
Injury Crisis Persist
With only two wins in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to say his side have been playing well.
He is, though, operating with a depleted squad, with multiple first-team stars already ruled out for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That total will grow if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pushing his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his muscle injury.
"Fernandes is already saying he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Leadership Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to continue providing input.
"He is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and offering advice. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Schedule for Injured Players
While the exact date for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
