Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that altering Manchester United's tactical system due to public pressure would have meant "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his usual three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and instead field an orthodox four-man defense with two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times transformed into a six-man defensive block in the latter minutes as his squad dug in for a crucial result - securing just their second shutout of the campaign.
Although he once notably remarked that even the Pope could pressure him to tweak his approach, Amorim insists the capacity to experiment with different setups has consistently been part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could solely implement the change when his team were doing at an acceptable level - or else it would seem as if he was succumbing to outside pressure.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I realized perhaps I lacked the squad to perform effectively in that system, but it was the beginning of a project," he stated.
"Our aim was to build an philosophy. Currently is a different time. We are missing a full complement of personnel, and we have to adapt, so they see why we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the demands of the media, or the supporters.
"When you talk about changing the formation constantly, I cannot change because the players will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is a disaster for the manager.
"Once we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that is the moment to change.
"This will help us become a stronger team because when our full complement of players are back, we are not going to play with a back three exclusively."
Squad Crisis Continue
With only two victories in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to claim his side have been playing well.
He is, however, managing with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior stars already confirmed absent for the upcoming home game against winless Wolves.
That total will rise if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly urging his boss to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
The Captain's Influence Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as while most unavailable stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to carry on offering insight.
"The guy is a leader," he declared. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's always vocal. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are negative aspects sometimes - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of strengths. After he recovers, he heads to watch the other guys practicing. There are a many things you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Key Players
Although the specific date for Fernandes' return - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
