Boss Ruben Amorim contends that changing Manchester United's formation due to external pressure would have signaled "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his usual three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and chose to use an standard four-man defense shielded by two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively transformed into a six-man defensive block in the final phase as his team dug in for a win - securing just their second shutout of the season.
While he once memorably said that even the highest authority could compel him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the ability to play with alternative setups has remained part of his strategy.
However, he emphasizes he could only implement the change when his team were performing sufficiently well - otherwise it would seem as if he was giving in to outside criticism.
"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized perhaps I didn't possess the squad to perform effectively in that system, but it was the start of a journey," he commented.
"The goal was to build an philosophy. Today is a different moment. We lack a full complement of players, and we need be flexible, so they comprehend the reason we are switching things up.
"This isn't because of the pressure of journalists, or the faithful.
"When media criticize changing the system repeatedly, I cannot change because the players will think I'm changing because of you and I believe that is the downfall for the coach.
"Only when we are playing well in our preferred setup, that is the opportunity to change.
"We are going to develop into a more complete squad because when our full complement of personnel are back, we are not planning to employ three defenders all the time."
Injury Issues Continue
With just two victories in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to state his team have been in good form.
He is, however, managing with a injury-ravaged roster, with multiple first-team stars already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That number will rise if midfielder Mason Mount fails to shake off the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is understood to be pushing his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already saying he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Role Endures
However, the 31-year-old will likely still be deeply engaged, as while most injured stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to carry on offering guidance.
"He is a leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and offering advice. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are negative aspects sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Schedule for Injured Personnel
While the specific timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
