Boss Ruben Amorim contends that switching Manchester United's formation due to external scrutiny would have been "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his trademark three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and opted to deploy an orthodox back four with two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the closing phase as his side dug in for a win - securing only their second-ever shutout of the season.
Although he once famously stated that even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim asserts the capacity to experiment with different formations has remained part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he emphasizes he could only alter the tactics when his team were faring sufficiently well - lest it would appear as if he was bowing to external noise.
"At the time I came here last season, I understood maybe I didn't possess the squad to perform effectively in that system, but it was the beginning of a process," he commented.
"The goal was to establish an philosophy. Currently is a distinct moment. We don't have a full complement of players, and we need adapt, so they see why we are changing.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of you guys, or the supporters.
"Whenever media discuss altering the system repeatedly, I cannot make a change because the players will believe I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is the downfall for the coach.
"Once we are getting results in our system, that becomes the moment to adapt.
"We are going to become a more complete team because when all the personnel return, we are not planning to use a back three in every match."
Availability Challenges Continue
Having just two wins in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to claim his team have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a depleted roster, with multiple senior stars already ruled out for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That number will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly urging his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his muscle injury.
"Fernandes is already saying he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
However, the 31-year-old will likely still be deeply engaged, as whereas most unavailable players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to carry on offering input.
"The guy is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are bad things sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of strengths. Even after he recovers, he goes to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Return Schedule for Key Players
While the specific date for Fernandes' return - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
