Boss Ruben Amorim contends that changing Man Utd's tactical system due to media pressure would have been "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his usual back three formation with wide defenders and instead deploy an orthodox back four with two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately functioned as a six-man defensive block in the closing stages as his squad held on for a win - securing just their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Despite he once notably stated that not even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his approach, Amorim maintains the option to experiment with varied formations has always been part of his strategy.
However, he stresses he could only make the switch when his team were performing at an acceptable level - or else it would look as if he was giving in to external criticism.
"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized perhaps I don't have the players to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the commencement of a journey," he said.
"The goal was to establish an philosophy. Now is a distinct juncture. We don't have a full complement of personnel, and we have to adjust, so they see the reason we are changing.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of you guys, or the faithful.
"Whenever the press talk about changing the system all the time, I can't make a change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is the downfall for the manager.
"Once we are playing well in our system, then is the opportunity to adapt.
"We are going to develop into a more complete squad because when our full complement of personnel are back, we are not intending to employ three defenders in every match."
Injury Crisis Persist
Having just two wins in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to say his team have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, managing with a severely stretched roster, with seven senior stars already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That figure will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be urging his boss to let him to return after his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already insisting he has to practice," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Role Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will probably still be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue providing guidance.
"The guy is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are bad things at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. After he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Players
Although the specific timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.