Manager Ruben Amorim argues that changing Man Utd's formation due to external noise would have been "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his usual three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and opted to field an traditional back four with two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this at times transformed into a six-man defensive block in the latter minutes as his squad dug in for a crucial result - securing just their second-ever shutout of the season.
While he once notably remarked that even the highest authority could compel him to change his system, Amorim asserts the ability to experiment with different formations has consistently been part of his strategy.
Yet, he emphasizes he could only make the switch when his team were performing well enough - or else it would seem as if he was succumbing to outside noise.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I lacked the personnel to play well in that system, but it was the commencement of a journey," he commented.
"Our aim was to establish an identity. Today is a separate moment. We are missing a lot of personnel, and we must be flexible, so they see the reason we are changing.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of journalists, or the fans.
"When the press criticize changing the formation constantly, I cannot change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is a disaster for the coach.
"Once we are getting results in our preferred setup, that becomes the opportunity to adapt.
"This will help us grow into a stronger squad because when our full complement of players are available, we are not planning to use a back three all the time."
Availability Crisis Continue
Having just two victories in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to say his team have been in good form.
He is, however, working with a severely stretched roster, with multiple first-team players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That total will grow if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be pushing his boss to let him to make a comeback after his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Leadership Is Unwavering
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as whereas most unavailable stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue providing insight.
"The guy is a leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's always communicating. That's why he's the captain.
"There are bad things at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the rest of the squad practicing. There are a many aspects you don't see.
"I don't know if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Key Personnel
Although the precise date for the captain's comeback - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
