Boss Ruben Amorim says that switching Man Utd's formation due to external noise would have been "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his usual three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and opted to field an orthodox back four with two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times functioned as a back six in the latter minutes as his side clung on for a win - securing just their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Although he once famously stated that not even the Pope could compel him to adjust his approach, Amorim insists the capacity to utilize varied formations has always been part of his strategy.
Yet, he emphasizes he could solely make the switch when his team were faring well enough - otherwise it would appear as if he was succumbing to outside criticism.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I didn't possess the personnel to excel in that system, but it was the start of a journey," he said.
"The goal was to build an philosophy. Today is a separate time. We are missing a lot of personnel, and we have to adapt, so they comprehend why we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the influence of the media, or the supporters.
"When media discuss changing the system repeatedly, I cannot change because the players will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I feel that is a disaster for the manager.
"Only when we are getting results in our system, that is the moment to evolve.
"We will grow into a stronger squad because when our full complement of players are available, we are not planning to employ a back three in every match."
Availability Challenges Persist
Having only two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to say his team have been playing well.
He is, however, operating with a severely stretched squad, with seven first-team players already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will increase if midfielder Mason Mount fails to shake off the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly urging his boss to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Role Endures
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will likely still be deeply engaged, as while most injured stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to continue offering insight.
"He is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are negative aspects at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of good things. After he recovers, he goes to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return 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 uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
