Boss Ruben Amorim argues that changing Man Utd's tactical system due to media noise would have signaled "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his customary three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and opted to deploy an orthodox back four with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the latter minutes as his squad dug in for a crucial result - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
While he once famously remarked that even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his approach, Amorim insists the ability to experiment with varied setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
However, he stresses he could only alter the tactics when his team were doing at an acceptable level - lest it would seem as if he was succumbing to external noise.
"At the time I came here last season, I realized perhaps I don't have the players to excel in that formation, but it was the commencement of a journey," he said.
"The goal was to build an style. Today is a distinct moment. We lack a full complement of personnel, and we have to adapt, so they see why we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of you guys, or the supporters.
"Whenever media discuss altering the system constantly, I cannot make a change because the squad will think I'm changing because of you and I feel that is the downfall for the coach.
"Once we are playing well in our system, then is the right time to change.
"We will become a stronger squad because when all the players return, we are not planning to employ a back three exclusively."
Availability Issues Continue
Having just two victories in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to claim his team have been in good form.
He is, though, managing with a injury-ravaged squad, with multiple first-team players already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name 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 following his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already insisting he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Role Endures
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably still be heavily involved, as while most injured players watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to continue offering insight.
"The guy is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly communicating. That's why he's the skipper.
"He has negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of good things. After he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys 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 true captain."
Return Schedule for Key Personnel
While the specific timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
