Head coach Ruben Amorim says that altering Manchester United's formation due to external pressure would have meant "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his customary back three setup with wide defenders and opted to field an orthodox back four with two central midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this effectively transformed into a six-man defensive block in the final minutes as his side clung on for a crucial result - securing only their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Despite he once famously remarked that not even the Pope could compel him to change his approach, Amorim maintains the ability to experiment with alternative formations has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he stresses he could only implement the change when his team were doing at an acceptable level - lest it would appear as if he was succumbing to outside criticism.
"When I arrived here last season, I recognized perhaps I lacked the personnel to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the beginning of a process," he commented.
"We were trying to establish an identity. Currently is a distinct time. We are missing a lot of personnel, and we must be flexible, so they comprehend why we are changing.
"The change isn't because of the demands of journalists, or the supporters.
"When the press discuss changing the formation repeatedly, I cannot change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I feel that is a disaster for the manager.
"Once we are performing strongly in our system, then is the moment to adapt.
"We are going to develop into a stronger squad because when our full complement of players are back, we are not planning to employ a back three exclusively."
Availability Issues Loom Large
Having just two victories in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is right to say his team have been in good form.
He is, though, operating with a injury-ravaged squad, with multiple first-team players already ruled out for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That total will increase if midfielder Mason Mount fails to shake off the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be pushing his boss to let him to return following his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already saying he needs to practice," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Influence Remains
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will likely continue to be heavily involved, as while most unavailable stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue providing input.
"The guy is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's always communicating. That's why he's the captain.
"There are negative aspects sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Key Personnel
While the specific timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
