Manager Ruben Amorim contends that switching Man Utd's formation due to media pressure would have been "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his customary back three formation with wide defenders and chose to deploy an orthodox back four shielded by two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately functioned as a six-man defensive block in the latter minutes as his team clung on for a victory - securing just their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Although he once memorably stated that even the highest authority could compel him to tweak his system, Amorim insists the option to play with varied setups has always been part of his plan.
Yet, he stresses he could only make the switch when his team were performing sufficiently well - lest it would appear as if he was bowing to external pressure.
"At the time I came here last season, I realized maybe I didn't possess the players to perform effectively in that system, but it was the beginning of a journey," he commented.
"The goal was to build an philosophy. Today is a different juncture. We don't have a lot of players, and we have to adjust, so they understand the reason we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the influence of journalists, or the supporters.
"When you talk about altering the system constantly, I can't change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is the downfall for the manager.
"Once we are playing well in our preferred setup, that is the opportunity to adapt.
"We will grow into a stronger team because when all the players are back, we are not going to employ three defenders in every match."
Injury Issues Continue
With only two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to say his side have been playing well.
He is, though, managing with a injury-ravaged squad, with seven first-team players already unavailable for the upcoming home game against winless Wolves.
That number will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be urging his manager to let him to make a comeback after his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already saying he has to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
Fernandes' Leadership Endures
However, the Portuguese star will likely continue to be a prominent presence, as while most unavailable players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to continue providing input.
"He is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's always speaking. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are flaws sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of strengths. Even after he recovers, he heads to watch the other guys training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Key Personnel
While the specific timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
