Boss Ruben Amorim contends that switching Man Utd's formation due to external noise would have been "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his customary three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and instead field an standard back four with two holding midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this effectively transformed into a back six in the latter stages as his side held on for a victory - securing just their second shutout of the campaign.
While he once notably said that not even the Pope could pressure him to tweak his system, Amorim asserts the option to experiment with different setups has always been part of his plan.
Yet, he clarifies he could solely alter the tactics when his team were doing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would look as if he was giving in to outside noise.
"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized perhaps I lacked the players to play well in a back three, but it was the beginning of a process," he commented.
"The goal was to forge an philosophy. Now is a different juncture. We don't have a full complement of personnel, and we must be flexible, so they understand the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the demands of the media, or the supporters.
"Whenever media discuss changing the formation repeatedly, I cannot change because the players will believe I'm changing because of you and I feel that is the downfall for the manager.
"Once we are playing well in our preferred setup, that becomes the moment to adapt.
"This will help us develop into a better squad because when all the players are back, we are not planning to play with a back three all the time."
Squad Crisis Loom Large
Having just two victories in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to state his team have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, managing with a depleted squad, with multiple first-team players already ruled out for the upcoming home game against winless Wolves.
That figure will rise if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is understood to be pushing his boss to let him to return after his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already telling me he has to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
The Captain's Influence Remains
However, the Portuguese star will almost certainly continue to be deeply engaged, as while most unavailable stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue providing insight.
"The guy is a leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's always speaking. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has flaws at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of good things. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of things you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he desires my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Key Personnel
Although the precise timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
