Boss Ruben Amorim says that changing Manchester United's tactical system due to public scrutiny would have meant "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his trademark three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and instead field an orthodox four-man defense with two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately became a six-man defensive block in the final minutes as his side held on for a win - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once famously stated that even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his approach, Amorim maintains the capacity to experiment with different formations has consistently been part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could solely make the switch when his team were doing well enough - otherwise it would appear as if he was succumbing to outside criticism.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I recognized perhaps I lacked the personnel to play well in a back three, but it was the commencement of a process," he stated.
"The goal was to build an philosophy. Today is a separate juncture. We don't have a full complement of players, and we have to adapt, so they comprehend why we are changing.
"This isn't because of the influence of the media, or the faithful.
"When media talk about changing the system all the time, I cannot make a change because the players will understand I'm changing because of you and I think that is the downfall for the manager.
"When we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that is the opportunity to adapt.
"We will grow into a better squad because when our full complement of players return, we are not intending to use three defenders in every match."
Squad Crisis Continue
Having only two victories in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his side have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven first-team stars already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will increase if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is understood to be pressing his boss to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to train," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
The Captain's Leadership Is Unwavering
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly continue to be deeply engaged, as while most unavailable stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to carry on providing input.
"The guy is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are flaws sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he recovers, he goes to observe the other guys practicing. There are a many things you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Injured Players
While the exact timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
