Manager Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's formation due to external noise would have been "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his trademark three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and chose to field an traditional four-man defense with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively became a back six in the final stages as his squad dug in for a victory - securing just their second shutout of the campaign.
While he once memorably said that not even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his system, Amorim insists the capacity to utilize alternative formations has consistently been part of his plan.
However, he stresses he could solely make the switch when his team were doing sufficiently well - otherwise it would look as if he was giving in to external criticism.
"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized perhaps I don't have the personnel to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the beginning of a project," he stated.
"Our aim was to establish an identity. Today is a distinct juncture. We are missing a lot of players, and we need adapt, so they comprehend the reason we are changing.
"The change isn't because of the influence of the media, or the fans.
"When you talk about altering the formation repeatedly, I cannot make a change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is the downfall for the coach.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our system, that becomes the opportunity to change.
"We will become a better team because when all the players are available, we are not going to use three defenders in every match."
Availability Issues Loom Large
Having only two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to say his side have been in good form.
He is, however, managing with a severely stretched squad, with multiple senior players already unavailable for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolves.
That number will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be urging his manager to allow him to make a comeback after his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already insisting he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
Fernandes' Role Endures
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be heavily involved, as while most unavailable stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to carry on providing input.
"The guy is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has flaws at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of strengths. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Personnel
While the specific date for the captain's return - and that of other injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
