Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that altering Manchester United's tactical system due to media pressure would have been "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his trademark three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and opted to field an standard four-man defense shielded by two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times became a six-man defensive block in the final minutes as his team clung on for a win - securing only their second shutout of the season.
Although he once famously said that not even the Pope could compel him to adjust his system, Amorim insists the option to utilize alternative setups has consistently been part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only implement the change when his team were performing sufficiently well - or else it would appear as if he was bowing to external pressure.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I didn't possess the personnel to excel in a back three, but it was the commencement of a process," he stated.
"Our aim was to establish an style. Now is a distinct juncture. We are missing a full complement of players, and we need adapt, so they comprehend why we are making changes.
"It is not because of the influence of journalists, or the faithful.
"When media criticize altering the formation repeatedly, I can't change because the players will understand I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is a disaster for the coach.
"Only when we are getting results in our system, that becomes the opportunity to adapt.
"We will grow into a more complete squad because when all the players are available, we are not planning to play with three defenders exclusively."
Availability Issues Continue
With just two wins in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to state his side have been in good form.
He is, however, working with a severely stretched roster, with seven first-team players already ruled out for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be urging his boss to let him to make a comeback after his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Influence Remains
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will probably still be deeply engaged, as while most unavailable stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on offering input.
"He is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's constantly vocal. That's why he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of good things. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my job or not, but he's a leader. He is a true captain."
Return Schedule for Key Players
While the specific timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other unavailable stars 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.
