Manager Ruben Amorim contends that switching Manchester United's formation due to external noise would have signaled "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his customary three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and opted to use an orthodox back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this at times functioned as a back six in the final phase as his team clung on for a win - securing only their second-ever shutout of the season.
Despite he once notably stated that even the Pope could pressure him to tweak his approach, Amorim insists the capacity to play with different setups has consistently been part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only implement the change when his team were performing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would seem 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 personnel to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the start of a journey," he commented.
"The goal was to establish an identity. Today is a distinct juncture. We don't have a full complement of players, and we must adapt, so they understand the reason we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the fans.
"Whenever media talk about altering the system repeatedly, I can't make a change because the squad will believe I'm altering things because of you and I think that is the downfall for the manager.
"Once we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that is the moment to change.
"This will help us develop into a more complete squad because when our full complement of players are back, we are not going to employ a back three all the time."
Squad Crisis Loom Large
With only two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to say his side have been playing well.
He is, though, managing with a severely stretched roster, with multiple first-team players already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will grow if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be urging his manager to let him to make a comeback following his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already saying he needs to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. You can write that."
Fernandes' Influence Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably still be heavily involved, as whereas most unavailable players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to continue offering insight.
"The guy is a natural leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always vocal. That's why he's the captain.
"There are bad things at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of good things. Even after he recovers, he goes to watch the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Key Players
Although the exact timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
