Head coach Ruben Amorim says that changing Manchester United's tactical system due to external noise would have been "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his usual back three formation with wing-backs and chose to field an traditional four-man defense with two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the latter stages as his squad clung on for a victory - securing only their second shutout of the season.
While he once memorably stated that not even the highest authority could compel him to change his approach, Amorim maintains the ability to experiment with different formations has consistently been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only alter the tactics when his team were performing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would look as if he was giving in to outside criticism.
"When I came here last season, I realized maybe I lacked the players to excel in that formation, but it was the beginning of a journey," he commented.
"Our aim was to build an identity. Now is a different juncture. We don't have a full complement of players, and we have to adapt, so they understand the reason we are changing.
"It is not because of the demands of journalists, or the faithful.
"Whenever you criticize changing the system constantly, I can't make a change because the squad will believe I'm altering things because of external voices and I believe that is the downfall for the coach.
"Only when we are getting results in our preferred setup, that becomes the opportunity to adapt.
"This will help us grow into a stronger team because when all the players are available, we are not intending to play with three defenders exclusively."
Squad Crisis Continue
Having only two victories in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to say his team have been in good form.
He is, however, operating with a depleted roster, with multiple senior players already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That total will rise if playmaker Mason Mount fails to shake off the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be pressing his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already saying he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
The Captain's Influence Endures
However, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue providing insight.
"He is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are negative aspects at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of good things. After he recovers, he goes to observe the other guys practicing. 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 leader."
Return Timeline for Injured Players
While the specific timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
