Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that switching Manchester United's formation due to external noise would have signaled "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his customary back three setup with wing-backs and opted to field an standard back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times functioned as a six-man defensive block in the closing stages as his team held on for a win - securing only their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Although he once famously remarked that not even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the ability to utilize varied setups has consistently been part of his plan.
Yet, he emphasizes he could only implement the change when his team were performing sufficiently well - or else it would seem as if he was giving in to outside noise.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I didn't possess the personnel to play well in that formation, but it was the start of a journey," he said.
"The goal was to establish an identity. Now is a separate time. We lack a full complement of personnel, and we need be flexible, so they comprehend the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the pressure of journalists, or the supporters.
"Whenever media talk about altering the formation constantly, I cannot make a change because the squad will believe I'm changing because of you and I believe that is the downfall for the coach.
"Only when we are getting results in our system, that is the opportunity to adapt.
"This will help us become a better squad because when our full complement of players are back, we are not intending to employ a back three in every match."
Squad Crisis Persist
Having only two wins in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, though, working with a injury-ravaged squad, with seven senior players already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will rise if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his exit 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 reportedly urging his manager to allow him to make a comeback following his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to train," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
Fernandes' Influence Remains
However, the Portuguese star will almost certainly continue to be deeply engaged, as whereas most unavailable stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue offering guidance.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are bad things at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of strengths. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to watch 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. He is a leader."
Return Schedule for Injured Players
While the specific date for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
