Boss Ruben Amorim says that changing Manchester United's tactical system due to public scrutiny would have meant "the end" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his trademark three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and opted to use an standard back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times became a back six in the closing minutes as his side clung on for a victory - securing only their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
Despite he once famously stated that not even the Pope could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim asserts the ability to utilize varied setups has always been part of his plan.
However, he clarifies he could only implement the change when his team were performing sufficiently well - or else it would appear as if he was succumbing to external noise.
"When I arrived here last season, I understood perhaps I don't have the players to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the start of a process," he said.
"The goal was to forge an philosophy. Currently is a separate moment. We lack a lot of players, and we need adjust, so they understand why we are changing.
"This isn't because of the demands of the media, or the faithful.
"When media discuss altering the formation constantly, I can't change because the players will think I'm altering things because of you and I feel that is the downfall for the coach.
"Only when we are getting results in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to evolve.
"This will help us grow into a stronger team because when our full complement of personnel return, we are not going to play with a back three all the time."
Injury Crisis Continue
Having only two wins in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to say his side have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a severely stretched squad, with multiple senior players already ruled out for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That number will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly pressing his boss to let him to make a comeback following his muscle injury.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to carry on offering guidance.
"The guy is a leader," he stated. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and offering advice. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are flaws sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the other guys training. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Key Personnel
Although the exact timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
