Boss Ruben Amorim says that altering Manchester United's formation due to external noise would have meant "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his usual back three setup with wing-backs and chose to use an traditional back four shielded by two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the latter stages as his squad held on for a victory - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
Despite he once notably said that even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his system, Amorim insists the capacity to experiment with different setups has always been part of his strategy.
Yet, he clarifies he could only implement the change when his team were performing sufficiently well - lest it would seem as if he was succumbing to outside pressure.
"When I came here last season, I realized perhaps I didn't possess the players to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the start of a journey," he commented.
"We were trying to build an identity. Currently is a different moment. We don't have a full complement of personnel, and we must be flexible, so they comprehend why we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the influence of you guys, or the supporters.
"When the press talk about altering the formation all the time, I can't change because the squad will believe I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is the end for the coach.
"When we are playing well in our preferred setup, that is the right time to change.
"We are going to become a better team because when our full complement of personnel return, we are not going to employ three defenders in every match."
Squad Issues Loom Large
With only two wins in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to say his team have been playing well.
He is, though, working with a severely stretched roster, with seven first-team stars already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly pushing his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already saying he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Influence Remains
However, the Portuguese star will almost certainly continue to be heavily involved, as whereas most unavailable stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to carry on offering input.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's always communicating. That's why he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a many aspects you don't see.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Schedule for Injured Players
Although the specific timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
