Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that switching Manchester United's tactical system due to public noise would have been "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his usual three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and instead use an traditional back four with two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately functioned as a back six in the closing stages as his squad clung on for a victory - securing just their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
Although he once notably remarked that not even the Pope could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim asserts the option to play with different setups has remained part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could only implement the change when his team were faring well enough - lest it would appear as if he was bowing to outside criticism.
"At the time I arrived here last season, I understood maybe I didn't possess the players to excel in that system, but it was the start of a process," he commented.
"The goal was to build an identity. Now is a separate time. We are missing a full complement of personnel, and we need adapt, so they understand the reason we are changing.
"It is not because of the influence of you guys, or the supporters.
"When the press discuss altering the formation constantly, I can't change because the players will think I'm altering things because of you and I think that is a disaster for the coach.
"When we are getting results in our preferred setup, that is the moment to change.
"This will help us grow into a better side because when all the personnel return, we are not intending to use a back three exclusively."
Availability Challenges Continue
Having only two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to claim his team have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, working with a injury-ravaged squad, with multiple senior players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolves.
That total will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pressing his boss to allow him to return following his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already insisting he has to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
However, the Portuguese star will likely still be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to continue offering insight.
"The guy is a natural leader," he stated. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's always speaking. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are bad things sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of good things. After he recovers, he heads to watch the other guys practicing. There are a many aspects you don't see.
"I don't know if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Injured Personnel
While the precise timeline for the captain's return - and that of other injured 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 continental competition.
