Boss Ruben Amorim argues that changing Manchester United's tactical system due to media noise would have meant "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his usual back three setup with wing-backs and opted to field an traditional four-man defense with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively transformed into a six-man defensive block in the closing phase as his squad held on for a victory - securing only their second shutout of the campaign.
Although he once notably said that not even the Pope could force him to tweak his system, Amorim insists the capacity to play with varied formations has always been part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he clarifies he could only implement the change when his team were doing sufficiently well - or else it would appear as if he was bowing to external criticism.
"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized perhaps I don't have the squad to play well in a back three, but it was the beginning of a process," he said.
"The goal was to establish an philosophy. Now is a distinct time. We are missing a lot of players, and we must adapt, so they understand why we are changing.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of journalists, or the fans.
"When media discuss changing the system all the time, 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.
"Only when we are getting results in our preferred setup, that is the moment to evolve.
"We are going to grow into a better team because when our full complement of players return, we are not going to play with three defenders in every match."
Availability Issues Persist
With just two wins in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to state his side have been playing well.
He is, though, operating with a severely stretched roster, with seven senior players already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will increase if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is reportedly pressing his manager to let him to make a comeback after his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already saying he needs to train," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
Fernandes' Influence Remains
However, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be heavily involved, as whereas most unavailable players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to continue offering input.
"He is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly communicating. That's why he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he recovers, he goes to watch the other guys practicing. There are a lot of things you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Key Players
Although the exact date for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
