Manager Ruben Amorim argues that altering Manchester United's formation due to public scrutiny would have signaled "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his trademark back three formation with wing-backs and chose to deploy an standard four-man defense with two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately transformed into a back six in the final phase as his side dug in for a win - securing just their second shutout of the campaign.
While he once notably remarked that not even the highest authority could pressure him to change his approach, Amorim maintains the capacity to utilize alternative formations has consistently been part of his strategy.
Yet, he clarifies he could only alter the tactics when his team were faring sufficiently well - lest it would look as if he was succumbing to external criticism.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I don't have the players to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the beginning of a journey," he stated.
"We were trying to forge an style. Today is a different juncture. We lack a full complement of personnel, and we need adapt, so they comprehend why we are making changes.
"It is not because of the demands of journalists, or the faithful.
"When you criticize changing the system constantly, I cannot make a change because the players will believe I'm changing because of external voices and I feel that is a disaster for the manager.
"Once we are playing well in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to adapt.
"We will grow into a better team because when all the personnel are available, we are not intending to employ a back three exclusively."
Squad Crisis Continue
With just two wins in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to say his side have been in good form.
He is, however, operating with a severely stretched squad, with multiple senior stars already ruled out for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will rise if playmaker Mason Mount fails to shake off the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pressing his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his muscle injury.
"Fernandes is already insisting he has to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Leadership Endures
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will likely still be deeply engaged, as while most injured players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to carry on providing input.
"He is a leader," he stated. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's always vocal. That's why he's the skipper.
"He has bad things at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a lot of strengths. After he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Key Personnel
While the exact timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
