Head coach Ruben Amorim says that altering Manchester United's tactical system due to public scrutiny would have meant "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his usual three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and chose to field an orthodox back four shielded by two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the final phase as his side dug in for a crucial result - securing only their second clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once notably said that even the Pope could compel him to change his approach, Amorim maintains the capacity to experiment with varied formations has always been part of his plan.
Yet, he stresses he could solely alter the tactics when his team were performing sufficiently well - or else it would look as if he was bowing to external criticism.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I don't have the players to excel in that system, but it was the start of a process," he stated.
"We were trying to establish an identity. Now is a separate juncture. We are missing a full complement of players, and we have to be flexible, so they understand why we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the demands of you guys, or the supporters.
"When the press talk about altering the formation repeatedly, I can't change because the squad will believe I'm changing because of you and I believe that is a disaster for the coach.
"Once we are getting results in our system, that is the moment to evolve.
"We will become a better side because when our full complement of players return, we are not going to employ three defenders exclusively."
Injury Challenges Persist
Having just two wins in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to claim his side have been in good form.
He is, however, operating with a severely stretched squad, with seven senior stars already unavailable for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will increase if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is reportedly pressing his manager to let him to make a comeback following his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Influence Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be heavily involved, as while most unavailable players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to continue providing guidance.
"He is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of good things. After he recovers, he goes to observe the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my job or not, but he's a leader. He is a leader."
Recovery Schedule for Key Personnel
While the specific timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
