Manager Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's formation due to external pressure would have been "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his trademark three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and opted to deploy an standard four-man defense with two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively became a six-man defensive block in the final stages as his team clung on for a victory - securing just their second-ever shutout of the season.
Despite he once famously remarked that even the Pope could pressure him to change his approach, Amorim maintains the option to utilize varied formations has consistently been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could solely make the switch when his team were faring well enough - or else it would look as if he was giving in to outside criticism.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I don't have the personnel to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the commencement of a project," he commented.
"We were trying to establish an philosophy. Currently is a distinct juncture. We are missing a lot of personnel, and we must adapt, so they comprehend why we are changing.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of journalists, or the faithful.
"Whenever the press talk about altering the formation constantly, I cannot change because the players will think I'm changing because of external voices and I believe that is the downfall for the manager.
"Once we are getting results in our system, that is the moment to adapt.
"We will grow into a stronger team because when all the personnel are available, we are not planning to play with three defenders exclusively."
Injury Issues Persist
With only two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to state his side have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, managing with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven first-team stars already confirmed absent for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That number will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pushing his boss to let him to return following his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already saying he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Influence Remains
However, the Portuguese star will likely continue to be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to carry on providing guidance.
"The guy is a leader," he declared. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always speaking. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. After he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Injured Players
Although the exact date for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
