Head coach Ruben Amorim says that altering Manchester United's formation due to public noise would have signaled "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his usual three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and chose to field an orthodox four-man defense shielded by two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately functioned as a back six in the closing stages as his squad dug in for a victory - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
While he once memorably said that even the Pope could force him to tweak his approach, Amorim asserts the option to experiment with alternative formations has remained part of his plan.
Yet, he emphasizes he could solely make the switch when his team were performing well enough - lest it would appear as if he was succumbing to external criticism.
"At the time I arrived here last season, I understood maybe I lacked the personnel to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the start of a process," he commented.
"We were trying to build an philosophy. Now is a separate moment. We lack a full complement of personnel, and we need adapt, so they comprehend the reason we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of you guys, or the faithful.
"When media talk about altering the system all the time, I cannot make a change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is the end for the coach.
"When we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to change.
"We will grow into a more complete team because when all the personnel are available, we are not planning to use a back three exclusively."
Squad Issues Persist
Having only two wins in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to state his team have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, managing with a injury-ravaged squad, with multiple first-team players already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be urging his boss to allow him to make a comeback following his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Influence Remains
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be a prominent presence, as whereas most injured players watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to carry on offering insight.
"He is a leader," he declared. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly communicating. That's why he's the captain.
"There are bad things at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys training. There are a many things you don't see.
"I don't know if he wants my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Personnel
Although the precise timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
