Boss Ruben Amorim says that changing Man Utd's formation due to external scrutiny would have been "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his usual back three formation with wing-backs and instead field an standard four-man defense shielded by two central midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively became a back six in the latter phase as his side clung on for a victory - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
While he once memorably said that even the Pope could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim asserts the capacity to utilize varied setups has always been part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he clarifies he could solely implement the change when his team were performing at an acceptable level - or else it would appear as if he was giving in to external pressure.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I lacked the players to perform effectively in that system, but it was the commencement of a process," he stated.
"Our aim was to establish an style. Now is a separate time. We lack a lot of personnel, and we need adjust, so they see the reason we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of journalists, or the faithful.
"Whenever you criticize changing the system all the time, I can't change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is the end for the manager.
"Once we are playing well in our preferred setup, that becomes the moment to adapt.
"We are going to grow into a better squad because when all the players are back, we are not planning to play with three defenders exclusively."
Injury Challenges Persist
Having just two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is right to claim his side have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a severely stretched squad, with seven first-team players already unavailable for the upcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will increase if playmaker Mason Mount fails to shake off the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be urging his manager to let him to return following his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to train," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
Fernandes' Role Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably still be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue offering input.
"The guy is a leader," he declared. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and offering advice. He's constantly communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are flaws sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he recovers, he goes to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. He is a leader."
Recovery Schedule for Injured Players
While the exact timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
