Head coach Ruben Amorim says that changing Manchester United's tactical system due to public scrutiny would have signaled "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his customary back three formation with wing-backs and instead field an standard back four with two defensive midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this ultimately functioned as a back six in the latter minutes as his squad held on for a win - securing just their second clean sheet of the campaign.
While he once famously said that even the Pope could force him to change his approach, Amorim insists the option to play with alternative formations has always been part of his plan.
Yet, he stresses he could solely alter the tactics when his team were doing sufficiently well - or else it would appear as if he was succumbing to outside noise.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I don't have the squad to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the beginning of a process," he commented.
"We were trying to establish an identity. Currently is a separate juncture. We don't have a full complement of personnel, and we must adjust, so they comprehend the reason we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of journalists, or the fans.
"When you criticize changing the system all the time, I cannot make a change because the squad will believe I'm altering things because of you and I think that is the end for the coach.
"Once we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to change.
"This will help us develop into a better team because when all the players are available, we are not going to employ three defenders exclusively."
Squad Challenges Loom Large
With just two wins in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, though, working with a depleted roster, with multiple senior players already unavailable for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolves.
That number will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be pressing his boss to allow him to return after his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already saying he has to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Leadership Remains
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly continue to be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable players watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to continue offering input.
"He is a leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's always communicating. That's why he's the skipper.
"He has negative aspects sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a many aspects you don't see.
"I don't know if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Injured Players
While the exact timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
