Head coach Ruben Amorim says that altering Manchester United's formation due to public pressure would have signaled "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his trademark three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and chose to deploy an traditional four-man defense shielded by two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively functioned as a back six in the final phase as his team dug in for a crucial result - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
While he once notably stated that even the highest authority could compel him to change his approach, Amorim asserts the capacity to play with different formations has remained part of his plan.
Yet, he stresses he could solely make the switch when his team were doing well enough - lest it would seem as if he was succumbing to external criticism.
"When I came here last season, I realized perhaps I don't have the personnel to excel in that formation, but it was the start of a process," he said.
"The goal was to forge an identity. Today is a distinct juncture. We lack a full complement of players, and we must be flexible, so they comprehend the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the influence of you guys, or the fans.
"When media discuss altering the system constantly, I cannot change because the squad will believe I'm changing because of external voices and I feel that is the end for the coach.
"Only when we are getting results in our preferred setup, that is the moment to evolve.
"We are going to develop into a better team because when all the players are back, we are not intending to use a back three all the time."
Injury Challenges Continue
With just two victories in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to say his team have been playing well.
He is, though, working with a severely stretched squad, with seven first-team stars already confirmed absent for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will increase if playmaker Mason Mount fails to shake off the injury that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be urging his boss to let him to return after his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already saying he has to train," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
Fernandes' Role Endures
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will probably still be a prominent presence, as while most injured players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to carry on offering insight.
"The guy is a leader," he stated. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That's why he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he recovers, he goes to watch the other guys training. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."
Return Schedule for Key Personnel
While the exact timeline for the captain's return - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
