Boss Ruben Amorim contends that altering Manchester United's formation due to external scrutiny would have signaled "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his usual back three setup with wing-backs and instead deploy an standard back four with two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this at times transformed into a back six in the closing stages as his team held on for a crucial result - securing only their second clean sheet of the season.
Although he once notably stated that even the Pope could force him to change his system, Amorim asserts the capacity to play with different setups has always been part of his strategy.
Yet, he clarifies he could solely implement the change when his team were performing sufficiently well - otherwise it would seem as if he was bowing to outside noise.
"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I don't have the personnel to play well in that formation, but it was the beginning of a process," he stated.
"The goal was to forge an style. Currently is a distinct time. We don't have a full complement of players, and we need be flexible, so they see why we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the influence of you guys, or the supporters.
"When media criticize changing the formation repeatedly, I cannot make a change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of you and I feel that is a disaster for the manager.
"Once we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, then is the opportunity to change.
"This will help us grow into a more complete side because when our full complement of players are available, we are not intending to use a back three exclusively."
Injury Challenges Continue
Having only two victories in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to state his team have been playing well.
He is, however, operating with a severely stretched roster, with seven senior stars already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will increase if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be pressing his boss to let him to return following his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already insisting he needs to train," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Role Is Unwavering
However, the Portuguese star will likely continue to be a prominent presence, as while most injured players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to continue offering guidance.
"He is a leader," he stated. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly communicating. That's why he's the captain.
"He has bad things sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he recovers, he goes to watch the rest of the squad practicing. There are a many aspects you don't see.
"I don't know if he desires my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Schedule for Key Personnel
Although the specific date for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.