Head coach Ruben Amorim says that altering Manchester United's tactical system due to external pressure would have meant "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his usual three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and chose to use an orthodox back four with two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively became a six-man defensive block in the final phase as his team held on for a crucial result - securing only their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
While he once famously said that not even the Pope could pressure him to adjust his approach, Amorim insists the ability to utilize alternative setups has remained part of his strategy.
However, he clarifies he could solely make the switch when his team were faring at an acceptable level - otherwise it would appear as if he was giving in to external noise.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I didn't possess the squad to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the beginning of a project," he said.
"Our aim was to forge an philosophy. Today is a different juncture. We are missing a lot of personnel, and we have to adjust, so they see why we are changing.
"This isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the fans.
"Whenever media criticize altering the formation 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 manager.
"When we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that is the moment to evolve.
"We are going to develop into a more complete squad because when our full complement of personnel are available, we are not planning to play with a back three all the time."
Injury Challenges Persist
With only two victories in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is right to claim his side have been playing well.
He is, however, operating with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior players already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable 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 clash, even though he is reportedly pushing his manager to allow him to return after his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Role Endures
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be a prominent presence, as while most injured stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to continue providing input.
"The guy is a leader," he declared. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and offering advice. He's always vocal. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are bad things at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he recovers, he goes to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Players
While the exact timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other unavailable players 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 duty.
