Boss Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's formation due to external scrutiny would have been "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his customary three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and chose to use an orthodox back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this ultimately became a six-man defensive block in the latter stages as his squad held on for a victory - securing only their second shutout of the season.
Despite he once notably stated that not even the Pope could compel him to adjust his approach, Amorim insists the capacity to utilize different setups has always been part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could solely implement the change when his team were doing well enough - lest it would seem as if he was giving in to outside noise.
"When I came here last season, I understood maybe I don't have the squad to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the start of a process," he commented.
"We were trying to establish an identity. Now is a distinct time. We lack a lot of personnel, and we must adjust, so they see the reason we are changing.
"It is not because of the influence of the media, or the faithful.
"Whenever the press talk about changing the system all the time, I cannot make a change because the squad will think I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is the end for the manager.
"When we are getting results in our system, then is the moment to evolve.
"This will help us develop into a more complete side because when all the players are back, we are not going to use a back three exclusively."
Squad Crisis Persist
Having only two victories in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to state his side have been in good form.
He is, however, managing with a depleted roster, with multiple senior stars already ruled out for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will rise if midfielder Mason Mount fails to shake off the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be pressing his manager to allow him to make a comeback after his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
The Captain's Role Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably still be a prominent presence, as while most injured stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to carry on offering insight.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has bad things sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. After he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of things you don't see.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Personnel
While the exact timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
