Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that switching Manchester United's formation due to media noise would have meant "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his customary three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and instead field an standard back four shielded by two central midfielders.
By his own admission this at times became a six-man defensive block in the closing stages as his team clung on for a crucial result - securing only their second shutout of the campaign.
Although he once notably stated that even the highest authority could force him to tweak his approach, Amorim maintains the capacity to experiment with alternative formations has always been part of his strategy.
However, he emphasizes he could only implement the change when his team were doing well enough - otherwise it would appear as if he was succumbing to outside criticism.
"At the time I came here last season, I realized perhaps I didn't possess the squad to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the commencement of a project," he commented.
"We were trying to forge an philosophy. Today is a separate moment. We don't have a lot of personnel, and we have to adapt, so they understand the reason we are changing.
"This isn't because of the demands of the media, or the faithful.
"Whenever you discuss altering the formation repeatedly, I cannot make a change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of you and I think that is a disaster for the coach.
"Once we are playing well in our preferred setup, then is the opportunity to evolve.
"We will become a better team because when our full complement of personnel are available, we are not planning to employ a back three all the time."
Availability Challenges Continue
Having only two wins in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to say his team have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a depleted roster, with seven first-team players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will increase if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be pushing his boss to allow him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to train," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
The Captain's Role Is Unwavering
However, the Portuguese star will likely continue to be a prominent presence, as whereas most injured players watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to carry on offering input.
"He is a leader," he stated. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly communicating. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are bad things sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. He is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Key Players
Although the precise date for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
