Boss Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's tactical system due to public scrutiny would have meant "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his customary three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and chose to use an standard four-man defense with two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately functioned as a six-man defensive block in the closing minutes as his side dug in for a win - securing just their second-ever shutout of the season.
Despite he once notably said that even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim maintains the option to experiment with alternative formations has consistently been part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only implement the change when his team were performing well enough - or else it would seem as if he was giving in to outside noise.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I lacked the squad to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the start of a project," he said.
"Our aim was to establish an style. Now is a distinct juncture. We are missing a lot of players, and we must adjust, so they comprehend the reason we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the influence of you guys, or the supporters.
"When media criticize altering the formation repeatedly, I cannot make a change because the squad will think I'm changing because of you and I think that is a disaster for the coach.
"Once we are performing strongly in our system, that is the right time to evolve.
"We are going to develop into a more complete side because when all the players return, we are not going to employ a back three exclusively."
Availability Issues Persist
Having only two victories in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to say his team have been playing well.
He is, however, working with a severely stretched squad, with seven first-team players already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly pressing his manager to let him to make a comeback after his muscle injury.
"Fernandes is already saying he needs to train," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
However, the 31-year-old will likely continue to be deeply engaged, as whereas most unavailable players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen 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 providing guidance.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's always communicating. That's why he's the captain.
"There are bad things at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the other guys training. There are a many things you don't see.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Schedule for Key Players
Although the precise timeline for the captain's return - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
