Boss Ruben Amorim says that altering Manchester United's tactical system due to media noise would have been "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his usual back three setup with wide defenders and opted to deploy an standard back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately became a six-man defensive block in the latter minutes as his squad clung on for a victory - securing only their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Although he once famously remarked that not even the Pope could pressure him to tweak his approach, Amorim maintains the option to utilize varied formations has consistently been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he clarifies he could solely implement the change when his team were performing well enough - lest it would appear as if he was succumbing to external pressure.
"At the time I arrived here last season, I recognized perhaps I don't have the squad to play well in that formation, but it was the beginning of a project," he stated.
"The goal was to forge an philosophy. Today is a separate moment. We are missing a lot of players, and we have to be flexible, so they see why we are making changes.
"It is not because of the pressure of journalists, or the faithful.
"When media discuss changing the formation constantly, I can't change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I feel that is the downfall for the coach.
"Once we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that becomes the opportunity to change.
"This will help us develop into a better team because when all the players are available, we are not going to employ a back three exclusively."
Injury Issues Continue
With only two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to say his side have been playing well.
He is, though, working with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven senior players already ruled out for the upcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will rise if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is understood to be pushing his boss to let him to make a comeback after his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Role Is Unwavering
However, the 31-year-old will likely continue to be heavily involved, as whereas most injured stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue providing insight.
"He is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even after he recovers, he goes to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Schedule for Injured Personnel
Although the exact date for the captain's comeback - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
