Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that altering Manchester United's tactical system due to external noise would have been "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his customary back three setup with wing-backs and opted to use an traditional four-man defense with two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the latter phase as his team clung on for a victory - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
Although he once famously stated that even the highest authority could compel him to tweak his approach, Amorim asserts the ability to play with varied setups has consistently been part of his strategy.
However, he clarifies he could solely implement the change when his team were performing well enough - lest it would look as if he was succumbing to external pressure.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I lacked the players to excel in that formation, but it was the commencement of a process," he stated.
"Our aim was to forge an philosophy. Currently is a distinct moment. We are missing a full complement of personnel, and we have to be flexible, so they comprehend the reason we are switching things up.
"This isn't because of the influence of the media, or the fans.
"When media criticize changing the formation constantly, I cannot make a change because the players will believe I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is the downfall for the coach.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our system, that becomes the moment to evolve.
"We will develop into a more complete squad because when our full complement of personnel are back, we are not intending to use a back three in every match."
Injury Issues Continue
Having just two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to state his side have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, working 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 is unable to recover the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly pushing his boss to allow him to return following his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already insisting he needs to practice," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Role Remains
However, the Portuguese star will probably still be heavily involved, as while most injured stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue providing insight.
"He is a leader," he declared. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's always communicating. That's why he's the skipper.
"He has flaws at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. After he recovers, he goes to watch the other guys practicing. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"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
While the precise timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
