Boss Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's tactical system due to public noise would have meant "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his trademark back three formation with wing-backs and chose to use an traditional back four shielded by two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively transformed into a back six in the final minutes as his side dug in for a win - securing just their second clean sheet of the season.
While he once famously remarked that not even the highest authority could compel him to tweak his approach, Amorim asserts the capacity to utilize varied formations has remained part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could solely implement the change when his team were doing sufficiently well - otherwise it would appear as if he was bowing to outside criticism.
"At the time I came here last season, I recognized perhaps I lacked the squad to excel in that system, but it was the commencement of a journey," he said.
"The goal was to establish an style. Today is a different time. We are missing a lot of personnel, and we must be flexible, so they comprehend why we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the demands of journalists, or the fans.
"When you discuss changing the system all the time, I cannot change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is a disaster for the manager.
"Only when we are getting results in our preferred setup, then is the right time to evolve.
"This will help us develop into a stronger squad because when all the players are back, we are not intending to play with three defenders in every match."
Injury Issues Loom Large
Having just two victories in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to say his side have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a severely stretched roster, with seven first-team players already confirmed absent for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will grow if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be pushing his boss to let him to make a comeback after his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he has to practice," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
The Captain's Role Endures
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable players watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue offering insight.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has bad things sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of good things. After he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."
Recovery Schedule for Injured Personnel
While the specific timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
