Boss Ruben Amorim argues that switching Man Utd's formation due to external pressure would have signaled "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his customary three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and opted to use an standard four-man defense with two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively functioned as a six-man defensive block in the closing stages as his squad held on for a win - securing only their second-ever shutout of the season.
While he once famously remarked that even the highest authority could pressure him to change his approach, Amorim maintains the ability to experiment with varied formations has always been part of his plan.
Yet, he stresses he could solely make the switch when his team were faring sufficiently well - lest it would seem as if he was giving in to external pressure.
"When I came here last season, I understood maybe I lacked the personnel to play well in that formation, but it was the start of a journey," he stated.
"Our aim was to build an style. Now is a different moment. We lack a lot of players, and we need adapt, so they comprehend the reason we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the demands of you guys, or the supporters.
"Whenever media discuss changing the system constantly, I can't change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of you and I feel that is the end for the coach.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our system, that is the right time to change.
"We will become a more complete squad because when all the personnel are available, we are not planning to play with three defenders exclusively."
Squad Crisis Continue
With just two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his side have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, working with a severely stretched squad, with multiple senior players already confirmed absent for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That figure will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be pressing his boss to allow him to return following his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already insisting he needs to train," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Influence Is Unwavering
However, the Portuguese star will probably still be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to carry on offering input.
"The guy is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He must not 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 skipper.
"He has bad things sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of good things. After he recovers, he goes to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I don't know if he desires my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Key Players
While the specific date for the captain's comeback - and that of other injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
