Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that changing Manchester United's formation due to media pressure would have signaled "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his trademark back three formation with wing-backs and opted to use an orthodox four-man defense shielded by two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately transformed into a back six in the closing phase as his side dug in for a crucial result - securing only their second shutout of the season.
Despite he once memorably said that not even the highest authority could force him to adjust his system, Amorim maintains the option to experiment with different setups has consistently been part of his plan.
Yet, he emphasizes he could only make the switch when his team were performing sufficiently well - lest it would look as if he was succumbing to external pressure.
"When I arrived here last season, I understood maybe I didn't possess the personnel to play well in a back three, but it was the start of a project," he said.
"The goal was to forge an philosophy. Now is a different moment. We are missing a lot of players, and we must be flexible, so they see why we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the demands of journalists, or the faithful.
"Whenever media discuss changing the formation repeatedly, I cannot change because the squad will believe I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is the downfall for the manager.
"Only when we are getting results in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to change.
"We will develop into a more complete squad because when our full complement of players are back, we are not planning to employ a back three exclusively."
Availability Crisis Continue
With just two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is correct to say his side have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a depleted roster, with seven senior players already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will grow if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly urging his manager to let him to make a comeback following his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already insisting he needs to train," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Influence Remains
However, the 31-year-old will likely still be heavily involved, as whereas most unavailable stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to carry on offering guidance.
"The guy is a leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's always communicating. That's why he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of strengths. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Key Personnel
While the specific timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
