Boss Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's tactical system due to public pressure would have meant "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his usual back three setup with wing-backs and instead deploy an traditional four-man defense shielded by two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the final stages as his squad held on for a crucial result - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
While he once notably stated that not even the Pope could pressure him to tweak his approach, Amorim insists the ability to experiment with alternative setups has always been part of his plan.
Yet, he stresses he could solely implement the change when his team were doing at an acceptable level - or else it would seem as if he was bowing to outside pressure.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized perhaps I don't have the players to excel in that system, but it was the commencement of a process," he stated.
"The goal was to build an identity. Today is a different moment. We lack a full complement of personnel, and we must adapt, so they see the reason we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the demands of you guys, or the faithful.
"When the press talk about changing the system all the time, I cannot change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I believe that is a disaster for the coach.
"When we are playing well in our preferred setup, that is the opportunity to change.
"We are going to grow into a more complete team because when our full complement of players are back, we are not planning to employ three defenders in every match."
Availability Challenges Continue
Having only two wins in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, managing with a severely stretched roster, with seven senior stars already unavailable for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolves.
That number will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, despite the fact he is understood to be pressing his boss to let him to return following his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to train," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
The Captain's Leadership Remains
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will probably continue to be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to carry on offering input.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always vocal. That's why he's the captain.
"He has bad things at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he desires my job or not, but he's a leader. He is a leader."
Return Schedule for Injured Players
While the specific date for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
