Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that switching Manchester United's tactical system due to public scrutiny would have meant "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his customary back three setup with wide defenders and chose to field an orthodox back four shielded by two central midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the final phase as his side held on for a crucial result - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
Despite he once memorably said that not even the Pope could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim insists the capacity to utilize varied setups has remained part of his plan.
However, he stresses he could only implement the change when his team were doing sufficiently well - otherwise it would seem as if he was bowing to outside pressure.
"When I arrived here last season, I recognized maybe I didn't possess the squad to excel in a back three, but it was the beginning of a journey," he said.
"The goal was to forge an identity. Currently is a distinct juncture. We lack a lot of players, and we have to be flexible, so they comprehend why we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the fans.
"Whenever the press criticize changing the system repeatedly, I can't change because the players will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I feel that is the downfall for the coach.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that is the moment to adapt.
"We will become a more complete team because when our full complement of personnel return, we are not intending to play with a back three in every match."
Availability Crisis Continue
Having just two victories in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is right to say his side have been in good form.
He is, however, operating with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior stars already ruled out for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will increase if playmaker Mason Mount fails to shake off the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pushing his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his muscle injury.
"Fernandes is already saying he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will likely continue to be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured stars 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 is sure his leader to carry on offering insight.
"The guy is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has bad things at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a lot of strengths. After he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Key Players
While the specific timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.