Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that altering Manchester United's tactical system due to public noise would have meant "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his customary three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and chose to use an standard back four with two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times functioned as a six-man defensive block in the latter minutes as his side dug in for a crucial result - securing only their second clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once famously remarked that not even the Pope could compel him to change his approach, Amorim asserts the ability to experiment with varied setups has always been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could solely alter the tactics when his team were doing sufficiently well - otherwise it would look as if he was succumbing to outside noise.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I lacked the personnel to perform effectively in that system, but it was the start of a process," he stated.
"The goal was to build an philosophy. Today is a distinct time. We don't have a full complement of personnel, and we have to be flexible, so they comprehend why we are making changes.
"It is not because of the pressure of you guys, or the fans.
"When the press discuss changing the system all the time, I can't make a change because the players will think I'm altering things because of you and I think that is a disaster for the coach.
"Once we are playing well in our system, then is the opportunity to evolve.
"We are going to grow into a better side because when all the personnel are back, we are not going to employ a back three in every match."
Availability Challenges Loom Large
With only two victories in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to claim his side have been playing well.
He is, however, operating with a injury-ravaged roster, with multiple first-team players already confirmed absent for the upcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pushing his boss to allow him to return after his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Influence Remains
However, the Portuguese star 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 continue providing guidance.
"The guy is a natural leader," he declared. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly communicating. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has bad things at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of good things. After he recovers, he heads to watch the other guys training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Key Players
Although the precise timeline for the captain's return - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
