Boss Ruben Amorim contends that changing Man Utd's formation due to public scrutiny would have been "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his customary back three setup with wide defenders and chose to deploy an standard four-man defense with two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively functioned as a six-man defensive block in the final stages as his team clung on for a crucial result - securing only their second shutout of the season.
While he once memorably said that even the Pope could compel him to change his approach, Amorim asserts the capacity to play with different setups has remained part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he emphasizes he could solely implement the change when his team were faring well enough - or else it would appear as if he was giving in to external noise.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I don't have the personnel to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the beginning of a process," he said.
"Our aim was to forge an style. Currently is a separate juncture. We don't have a full complement of personnel, and we have to be flexible, so they understand the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the pressure of journalists, or the faithful.
"When media criticize changing the formation repeatedly, I can't change because the players will think I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is a disaster for the manager.
"Once we are playing well in our preferred setup, that is the right time to adapt.
"We are going to become a more complete team because when our full complement of players return, we are not going to play with a back three all the time."
Injury Issues Persist
With just two wins in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his side have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven senior players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is reportedly urging his boss to allow him to make a comeback following his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Role Endures
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be heavily involved, as while most injured stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue providing 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 silent and speaking. He's always communicating. That's why he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of good things. After he recovers, he heads to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Personnel
Although the precise timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow unavailable stars 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 continental competition.
