Boss Ruben Amorim contends that changing Manchester United's formation due to public scrutiny would have signaled "the end" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his trademark three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and opted to deploy an traditional back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively became a back six in the latter minutes as his team clung on for a victory - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
While he once famously said that even the Pope could pressure him to change his system, Amorim insists the option to experiment with varied setups has remained part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he clarifies he could solely implement the change when his team were faring at an acceptable level - lest it would seem as if he was giving in to external noise.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I recognized perhaps I don't have the players to excel in a back three, but it was the start of a journey," he commented.
"The goal was to establish an style. Today is a separate time. We don't have a lot of players, and we must adjust, so they comprehend why we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the pressure of journalists, or the supporters.
"When you talk about changing the formation all the time, I can't make a change because the squad will believe I'm altering things because of external voices and I believe that is the end for the manager.
"Once we are getting results in our preferred setup, that becomes the opportunity to evolve.
"We are going to develop into a stronger side because when our full complement of players are back, we are not intending to employ a back three exclusively."
Squad Challenges Persist
Having just two victories in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to say his side have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, managing with a depleted squad, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolves.
That total will rise if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that led to his exit 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 reportedly pressing his manager to allow him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already saying he has to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Role Endures
However, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be heavily involved, as whereas most unavailable players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on offering input.
"The guy is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and offering advice. He's always speaking. That's why he's the captain.
"There are negative aspects at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Schedule for Key Players
Although the precise timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
