Manager Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's tactical system due to public noise would have been "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his usual three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and opted to deploy an standard four-man defense with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the closing phase as his team dug in for a crucial result - securing only their second clean sheet of the season.
Although he once notably remarked that not even the Pope could compel him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the option to utilize different formations has remained part of his long-term vision.
However, he clarifies he could solely implement the change when his team were doing sufficiently well - or else it would look as if he was succumbing to outside criticism.
"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I didn't possess the players to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the start of a process," he said.
"Our aim was to establish an identity. Now is a different juncture. We are missing a lot of personnel, and we have to adjust, so they see why we are changing.
"The change isn't because of the influence of you guys, or the faithful.
"When the press talk about changing the system all the time, I can't change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of you and I feel that is the end for the coach.
"Only when we are getting results in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to change.
"This will help us become a stronger squad because when all the players are available, we are not planning to play with three defenders in every match."
Availability Crisis Persist
With just two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, though, managing with a injury-ravaged squad, with seven senior stars already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That number will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be pushing his boss to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already insisting he has to train," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
Fernandes' Influence Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance 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 stated. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's always vocal. That's why he's the captain.
"There are negative aspects at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the other guys 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 leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Injured Players
Although the precise date for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
