Boss Ruben Amorim contends that altering Man Utd's tactical system due to media noise would have meant "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his trademark three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and chose to use an orthodox four-man defense with two holding midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this at times became a back six in the latter minutes as his squad held on for a win - securing only their second clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once notably remarked that even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his system, Amorim asserts the ability to utilize varied setups has consistently been part of his strategy.
Yet, he stresses he could only make the switch when his team were faring at an acceptable level - lest it would seem as if he was giving in to outside pressure.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I lacked the players to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the beginning of a process," he said.
"We were trying to forge an style. Now is a distinct time. We lack a full complement of personnel, and we must adjust, so they understand the reason we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the demands of the media, or the fans.
"When media talk about changing the formation repeatedly, I can't change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is the end for the manager.
"When we are performing strongly in our system, that is the right time to evolve.
"This will help us develop into a better squad because when our full complement of players are available, we are not intending to employ a back three exclusively."
Availability Challenges 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, though, operating with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the upcoming home game against winless Wolves.
That figure will rise if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly pressing his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already insisting he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can write that."
The Captain's Leadership Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be deeply engaged, as while most unavailable players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to carry on offering input.
"The guy is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are bad things at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he recovers, he heads to watch the other guys training. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. He is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Key Players
While the exact timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
