Boss Ruben Amorim contends that switching Manchester United's formation due to external scrutiny would have meant "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his usual back three formation with wing-backs and opted to deploy an orthodox back four with two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively functioned as a six-man defensive block in the latter stages as his team clung on for a win - securing only their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
Despite he once memorably said that even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his approach, Amorim asserts the capacity to experiment with different setups has always been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he clarifies he could only implement the change when his team were faring well enough - lest it would appear as if he was succumbing to external noise.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I don't have the squad to play well in a back three, but it was the commencement of a project," he stated.
"The goal was to forge an philosophy. Today is a separate juncture. We lack a full complement of players, and we need adjust, so they see the reason we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the fans.
"When you discuss changing the system all the time, I can't change because the players will believe I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is the end for the coach.
"Only when we are playing well in our system, that is the opportunity to evolve.
"We are going to become a more complete squad because when our full complement of players are back, we are not intending to use a back three exclusively."
Availability Crisis Persist
With only two wins in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to claim his side have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, managing with a injury-ravaged roster, with multiple senior players already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will rise if midfielder Mason Mount fails to shake off the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be pressing his manager to allow him to return after his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already insisting he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Role Remains
However, the Portuguese star will probably still be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable players view 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 leader to continue providing guidance.
"The guy is a natural leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's always vocal. That's why he's the skipper.
"He has flaws at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of strengths. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to watch the other guys training. There are a many aspects you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Return Schedule for Key Players
While the exact timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
