Boss Ruben Amorim argues that switching Manchester United's formation due to external pressure would have been "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his usual back three formation with wide defenders and opted to field an standard back four with two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this at times transformed into a back six in the final stages as his side dug in for a crucial result - securing just their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
While he once notably said that not even the Pope could pressure him to adjust his approach, Amorim maintains the option to experiment with varied setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only alter the tactics when his team were faring well enough - or else it would look as if he was bowing to external pressure.
"When I arrived here last season, I realized perhaps I don't have the squad to excel in a back three, but it was the beginning of a process," he stated.
"Our aim was to forge an identity. Now is a separate time. We lack a lot of personnel, and we must be flexible, so they comprehend why we are making changes.
"It is not because of the pressure of journalists, or the supporters.
"When the press discuss changing the system repeatedly, I cannot make a change because the players will understand I'm altering things because of you and I think that is the downfall for the manager.
"Only when we are playing well in our system, that becomes the moment to evolve.
"We will become a stronger team because when all the players are back, we are not going to play with a back three in every match."
Squad Challenges Continue
With just two victories in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to state his team have been in good form.
He is, however, managing with a depleted roster, with multiple senior stars already ruled out for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolves.
That total will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly urging his boss to allow him to make a comeback following his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already telling me he has to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Influence Is Unwavering
However, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be a prominent presence, as while most injured stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to continue providing guidance.
"He is a leader," he declared. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's always speaking. That's why he's the captain.
"There are negative aspects at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to watch the other guys training. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he desires my job or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Key Players
While the specific timeline for the captain's return - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
