Head coach Ruben Amorim says that changing Manchester United's formation due to public noise would have been "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his usual three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and opted to deploy an traditional back four with two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times became a back six in the final minutes as his team dug in for a victory - securing just their second shutout of the season.
Despite he once memorably said that even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his approach, Amorim asserts the ability to utilize alternative setups has remained part of his plan.
Yet, he emphasizes he could only alter the tactics when his team were doing sufficiently well - or else it would seem as if he was giving in to external criticism.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I lacked the players to perform effectively in that system, but it was the beginning of a project," he said.
"We were trying to build an philosophy. Currently is a distinct juncture. We don't have a lot of personnel, and we need adjust, so they see why we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the demands of the media, or the faithful.
"Whenever you talk about altering the formation constantly, I cannot make a change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is the end for the coach.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our system, that becomes the moment to change.
"This will help us grow into a stronger team because when all the players are available, we are not planning to play with a back three all the time."
Injury Crisis Continue
Having only two wins in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to say his side have been in good form.
He is, though, working with a injury-ravaged squad, with seven first-team stars already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly pushing his manager to let him to make a comeback after his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
The Captain's Influence Endures
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly continue to be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to continue offering guidance.
"The guy is a leader," he declared. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's constantly vocal. That's why he's the captain.
"There are negative aspects at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he goes to watch the other guys 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. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Players
Although the precise date for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
