Head coach Ruben Amorim says that altering Man Utd's tactical system due to media scrutiny would have meant "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his usual three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and opted to use an traditional back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the final stages as his squad clung on for a victory - securing only their second clean sheet of the season.
Although he once famously said that not even the Pope could pressure him to change his approach, Amorim asserts the option to utilize alternative setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he emphasizes he could solely implement the change when his team were performing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would seem as if he was bowing to external noise.
"When I came here last season, I recognized maybe I didn't possess the personnel to excel in that formation, but it was the commencement of a journey," he said.
"We were trying to establish an philosophy. Now is a different juncture. We are missing a full complement of players, and we must be flexible, so they see the reason we are changing.
"It is not because of the influence of the media, or the fans.
"Whenever you talk about changing the system constantly, I cannot make a change because the players will think I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is the downfall for the coach.
"When we are playing well in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to evolve.
"We will grow into a stronger team because when all the personnel return, we are not planning to play with three defenders all the time."
Injury Issues Continue
With only two victories in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to state his side have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, managing with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven first-team players already ruled out for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolves.
That total will grow if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his manager to allow him to return after his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already insisting he needs to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can write that."
The Captain's Role Remains
However, the 31-year-old will likely still be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to carry on offering insight.
"The guy is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he finishes treatment, he goes to observe 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 leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Key Personnel
While the precise timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
