Head coach Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's formation due to media noise would have meant "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his customary three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and opted to field an traditional four-man defense with two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively functioned as a six-man defensive block in the closing phase as his team clung on for a crucial result - securing just their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
While he once memorably remarked that even the highest authority could force him to tweak his approach, Amorim insists the option to utilize different setups has remained part of his plan.
Yet, he stresses he could solely alter the tactics when his team were doing sufficiently well - lest it would look as if he was giving in to external criticism.
"When I arrived here last season, I realized maybe I didn't possess the personnel to play well in that system, but it was the beginning of a project," he stated.
"Our aim was to build an identity. Now is a distinct juncture. We don't have a lot of personnel, and we need adjust, so they comprehend why we are switching things up.
"This isn't because of the demands of the media, or the fans.
"Whenever the press talk about altering the system repeatedly, I cannot change because the players will believe I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is the end for the manager.
"Once we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that becomes the opportunity to change.
"We will develop into a better squad because when our full complement of personnel return, we are not planning to use a back three exclusively."
Availability Crisis Persist
Having just two wins in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to claim his team have been in good form.
He is, however, working with a depleted squad, with seven first-team players already unavailable for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolves.
That figure will increase if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly urging his manager to allow him to make a comeback following his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already saying he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
Fernandes' Influence Endures
However, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be a prominent presence, as whereas most injured stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on providing input.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's constantly speaking. That's why he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects sometimes - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a lot of good things. After he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the rest of the squad practicing. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Key Players
While the precise timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
