Daniel Farke revealed Leeds United's third Premier League win of the season came on the back of an illness bug sweeping the training ground.
A team with four changes – after just one in the previous five games - might have looked like a response to the disappointing result at Burnley in the previous game, but Farke revealed it was a lot to do with the health of his squad.
Ethan Ampadu and Noah Okafor played despite missing training sessions during the week but Pascal Struijk was left out and Daniel James was not risked.
It paid off, with a 2-1 win over West Ham United that looked like it would be far more comfortable than it was when Brenden Aaronson and Joe Rodon found the net in the opening 15 minutes.
Aaronson hit the crossbar in the second half but a glancing Mateus Fernandes header in the 90th minute kept Elland Road on edge until the full-time whistle.
"We had a really difficult week, perhaps even a bit more difficult than I spoke about during my last press conference because after a bad run of results - not of performance but results – I didn't want to kill their confidence too much," revealed Farke. "But we were struggling so much with illnesses in the camp and injuries and players just back after a short-term injury like Noah or a long-term injury like Daniel James, and some hits and knocks during the week.
"Anton Stach had another hit against his rib and was pretty much in pain, so it was so difficult to find a good balance.
"We couldn't afford to leave all the players out who were struggling during the last days and missed training sessions, otherwise we wouldn't be able to fill the XI.
CHOICES Daniel Farke (Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)placeholder image
CHOICES Daniel Farke (Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)
"We had to find the right mix – who starts, who is perhaps coming in and it was so difficult, you could feel it in the first half.
"We started very aggressively, very brave, with passion and we wanted to win this game.
"We deserved to be in lead 2-0, but also you could feel it was a bit wild sometimes against the ball and with the ball. I think we had games where we had a way better structure and way more control and way more dominance during the season.
"In the second half I think we started way better in terms of control and our organisation against the ball but were unable to score the third goal.
CHOSEN: Jaka Bijol made his Premier League debut with Leeds United leaving out Pascal Struijk (Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)placeholder image
CHOSEN: Jaka Bijol made his Premier League debut with Leeds United leaving out Pascal Struijk (Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)
"The last 20 minutes you could really see again what a difficult week we had.
"I would have preferred today the chance to substitute perhaps 11 times because so many players were struggling.
"The last 20 minutes was more about digging in and grinding out the result and the goal we conceded, we dropped a bit too deep.
"It was nevertheless a priceless three points and the first game after you've lost a little bit of momentum it's never an easy straightforward win, you have to dig in to win the momentum back. I'm very very pleased."
The fitness issues meant Okafor had to be substituted at half-time, and made Farke reluctant to bring James off the bench earlier. On the opposite right flank, Aaronson was in excellent form.
"It was a difficult situation to think about, perhaps giving Noah 30 minutes, bring him on in the second half or to start with, (and) let's see how long he can go," said Farke.
"I was hoping perhaps for 50-55 minutes but the first half was already 55 minutes (referee Stuart Attwell played an extra 13 minutes) and the feeling was also we had to substitute then with Gabi (Gudmundsson) also substituted during the first half (with a back injury).
"I wanted to have at least two more substitutions and I thought if after 50 minutes I have to substitute him, that's a bit tricky with the other substitutions, so we then decided we do it a bit earlier during half-time to have at least two more possibilities (substitution windows) when we can bring players in.
"With Gabi, I hope it's just the bruise because he's another important player who had an excellent performance in the last weeks.
"It was one of those days, a difficult game, lots of adversity against us but we showed resilience and for that the lads should be proud of that."
On the decision to hold back James, Farke explained: "Of course I was tempted (to bring him on sooner) but on the other hand you also have to make sure that the wingers also do a really really good job in terms of defending.
"Against Cree Sommerville and Jarrod Bowen it's not like you can leave your full-backs alone, you need to have wingers who also help in this moment and can cover lots of distance.
"With this threat going forward with his (James') pace, he's always in my plan.
"My plan for the starting line-up was I didn't want to start with Noah and with Daniel, two doubts, so I decided to play Noah, our best goalscorer so far.
"Daniel James was also out more or less in the eight weeks before for six-and-a-half weeks with two injuries.
"With Brenden, the feeling was he was doing an excellent job (defensively) and one of Jack Harrison's big skills is to help in terms defending.
"I think in eight days when we have our next game (away to Brighton and Hove Albion) it looks way better for him.
"Pascal was struggling with illness during this week, he missed training sessions and there was a little bit of (negative) momentum anyhow from our centre-backs, who were excellent especially in the beginning of the season but in the last game somehow not with big mistakes but unlucky in the recent goals,
"I didn't want to have too many players not in the starting line but I opted to play my captain, my leader, Ethan Ampadu, also Noah Okafor but in the other positions I wanted players who have trained the full week."
The victory was Leeds' third of the season, taking them to 11 points from nine games, seven ahead of West Ham.
"We started very badly," was Nuno Espirito Santo's verdict on his side. "The way we defended was bad. There was an improvement in the second half but not enough."