Boss Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's formation due to public scrutiny would have signaled "the end" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his trademark three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and opted to field an orthodox back four shielded by two defensive midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this at times became a back six in the latter stages as his side dug in for a win - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
While he once notably said that not even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim asserts the option to experiment with alternative formations has always been part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could only make the switch when his team were doing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would seem as if he was succumbing to outside pressure.
"When I arrived here last season, I recognized maybe I lacked the personnel to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the start of a journey," he stated.
"We were trying to establish an style. Today is a separate moment. We don't have a full complement of personnel, and we have to adapt, so they see why we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the demands of you guys, or the faithful.
"When the press talk about altering the system constantly, I cannot make a change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is the end for the coach.
"When we are getting results in our preferred setup, that is the opportunity to evolve.
"This will help us grow into a better squad because when our full complement of personnel return, we are not going to play with a back three exclusively."
Availability Issues Continue
Having just two wins in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to say his side have been in good form.
He is, though, operating with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior stars already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That figure will rise if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pushing his boss to let him to return following his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
Fernandes' Influence Remains
However, the Portuguese star will likely still be a prominent presence, as whereas most injured players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen 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 leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are bad things sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of good things. After he recovers, he heads to watch the other guys practicing. There are a lot of things you don't see.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Schedule for Key Players
While the exact timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
