Head coach Ruben Amorim says that altering Man Utd's formation due to public noise would have signaled "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his trademark back three formation with wing-backs and chose to deploy an standard four-man defense shielded by two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this at times transformed into a back six in the closing phase as his team dug in for a win - securing only their second-ever shutout of the season.
While he once notably stated that not even the Pope could pressure him to adjust his approach, Amorim insists the capacity to experiment with alternative formations has always been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only alter the tactics when his team were faring sufficiently well - lest it would look as if he was bowing to outside noise.
"At the time I came here last season, I understood perhaps I don't have the personnel to play well in a back three, but it was the commencement of a journey," he said.
"Our aim was to establish an identity. Currently is a separate time. We lack a lot of players, and we must adjust, so they understand why we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the fans.
"When media criticize changing the system repeatedly, I cannot change because the players will believe I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is the downfall for the coach.
"Once we are getting results in our preferred setup, that becomes the moment to adapt.
"We are going to become a stronger team because when all the players are available, we are not going to use three defenders in every match."
Squad Challenges Continue
Having only two wins in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his side have been playing well.
He is, however, managing with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his boss to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already insisting he needs to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can write that."
Fernandes' Influence Is Unwavering
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to carry on offering input.
"The guy is a natural leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That's why he's the captain.
"There are bad things sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of good things. After he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Key Players
While the exact date for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
