Boss Ruben Amorim says that altering Manchester United's tactical system due to media noise would have been "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his trademark three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and opted to field an traditional back four with two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this at times functioned as a back six in the closing stages as his team held on for a win - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
Although he once notably remarked that not even the Pope could pressure him to change his system, Amorim asserts the ability to utilize different formations has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
However, he emphasizes he could solely implement the change when his team were faring at an acceptable level - otherwise it would look as if he was succumbing to outside pressure.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I didn't possess the players to excel in that system, but it was the start of a journey," he stated.
"Our aim was to forge an philosophy. Today is a different juncture. We are missing a lot of players, and we must be flexible, so they see the reason we are changing.
"It is not because of the demands of journalists, or the supporters.
"When you discuss changing the system all the time, I can't make a change because the players will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is a disaster for the manager.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our system, that is the right time to change.
"We are going to grow into a more complete team because when all the players are available, we are not planning to employ a back three all the time."
Squad Challenges Continue
With just two victories in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to say his team have been in good form.
He is, though, managing with a severely stretched squad, with seven first-team stars already ruled out for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly urging his boss to allow him to return following his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
Fernandes' Influence Is Unwavering
However, the Portuguese star will likely still be deeply engaged, as while most injured stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on offering guidance.
"He is a natural leader," he declared. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That's why he's the skipper.
"He has flaws sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. After he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the other guys training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"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 Injured Players
Although the precise timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
