Head coach Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's formation due to public scrutiny would have meant "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his customary back three formation with wide defenders and chose to deploy an traditional back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively transformed into a six-man defensive block in the latter minutes as his team clung on for a win - securing only their second clean sheet of the campaign.
While he once memorably remarked that even the Pope could compel him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the capacity to experiment with varied setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he stresses he could only alter the tactics when his team were performing sufficiently well - or else it would look as if he was giving in to outside noise.
"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I don't have the squad to excel in that formation, but it was the start of a project," he commented.
"Our aim was to establish an philosophy. Currently is a separate time. We are missing a full complement of players, and we must adjust, so they see the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the influence of journalists, or the fans.
"Whenever you discuss changing the system constantly, I can't change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is the downfall for the manager.
"When we are getting results in our preferred setup, then is the opportunity to evolve.
"This will help us become a more complete team because when our full complement of personnel return, we are not planning to play with three defenders all the time."
Injury Challenges Persist
With just two victories in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to state his team have been playing well.
He is, though, operating with a depleted squad, with multiple first-team stars already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will rise if playmaker Mason Mount fails to shake off the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be pushing his manager to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already saying he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."
The Captain's Influence Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will likely still be heavily involved, as while most unavailable stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to carry on offering input.
"He is a leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has bad things at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of strengths. Even after he recovers, he goes to observe the other guys training. There are a many things you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Schedule for Key Personnel
While the exact timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
