Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that altering Manchester United's tactical system due to public scrutiny would have meant "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his usual back three formation with wide defenders and instead deploy an orthodox back four with two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a back six in the closing stages as his side held on for a victory - securing just their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
While he once notably said that not even the highest authority could force him to change his system, Amorim insists the capacity to play with varied setups has always been part of his strategy.
Yet, he stresses he could only implement the change when his team were doing well enough - otherwise it would seem as if he was giving in to external criticism.
"When I arrived here last season, I realized maybe I don't have the squad to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the beginning of a project," he said.
"The goal was to establish an philosophy. Today is a distinct juncture. We are missing a lot of players, and we have to be flexible, so they comprehend why we are changing.
"It is not because of the demands of journalists, or the fans.
"Whenever you talk about altering the formation repeatedly, I cannot change because the squad will believe I'm changing because of you and I think that is the end for the coach.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our system, that becomes the right time to evolve.
"This will help us become a more complete side because when our full complement of players are available, we are not intending to use a back three in every match."
Squad Issues Loom Large
With just two wins in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is correct to say his side have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a severely stretched squad, with seven first-team players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That total will rise if midfielder Mason Mount fails to shake off the injury that forced his withdrawal 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 reportedly pushing his boss to let him to make a comeback after his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already saying he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Influence Is Unwavering
However, the Portuguese star will probably continue to be heavily involved, as while most injured stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to carry on offering insight.
"The guy is a leader," he stated. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That's why he's the captain.
"There are bad things sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of good things. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Injured Players
Although the specific timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
