Head coach Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's formation due to public scrutiny would have meant "the end" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his customary three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and opted to field an standard four-man defense shielded by two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively functioned as a back six in the latter phase as his team clung on for a win - securing just their second clean sheet of the season.
While he once famously said that not even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his system, Amorim asserts the option to experiment with different setups has consistently been part of his plan.
Yet, he clarifies he could only implement the change when his team were performing sufficiently well - lest it would seem as if he was succumbing to external noise.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I didn't possess the squad to excel in that system, but it was the start of a process," he commented.
"Our aim was to establish an identity. Now is a separate juncture. We are missing a full complement of players, and we need be flexible, so they understand the reason we are changing.
"It is not because of the demands of the media, or the supporters.
"When you discuss changing the system constantly, I cannot change because the players will think I'm changing because of you and I believe that is a disaster for the coach.
"When we are getting results in our preferred setup, then is the moment to evolve.
"We are going to become a better squad because when our full complement of personnel return, we are not going to use a back three all the time."
Squad Issues Loom Large
With only two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, though, working with a injury-ravaged roster, with multiple first-team stars already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be urging his boss to allow him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Role Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will almost certainly continue to be deeply engaged, as whereas most unavailable stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to continue providing guidance.
"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 constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has flaws sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of strengths. Even after he recovers, he heads to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Key Personnel
Although the specific timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
