Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that altering Man Utd's formation due to public pressure would have meant "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his trademark back three setup with wing-backs and instead field an traditional back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively transformed into a six-man defensive block in the final stages as his team clung on for a victory - securing just their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Despite he once memorably remarked that even the highest authority could force him to tweak his system, Amorim asserts the capacity to utilize different setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he emphasizes he could only alter the tactics when his team were doing sufficiently well - otherwise it would seem as if he was bowing to external noise.
"When I came here last season, I understood maybe I lacked the players to excel in that formation, but it was the beginning of a project," he stated.
"The goal was to establish an style. Today is a separate time. We are missing a full complement of players, and we must adjust, so they see why we are changing.
"This isn't because of the influence of you guys, or the supporters.
"Whenever media discuss changing the formation repeatedly, I cannot change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I feel that is the end for the coach.
"When we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to evolve.
"We will develop into a better side because when all the personnel return, we are not intending to employ a back three all the time."
Squad Challenges Continue
Having just two wins in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to say his side have been playing well.
He is, however, operating with a severely stretched squad, with seven first-team players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will grow if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be pushing his manager to let him to return after his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Leadership Remains
However, the Portuguese star will probably still be deeply engaged, as while most injured stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue offering insight.
"He is a leader," he declared. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are bad things at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of strengths. After he recovers, he goes to watch the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."
Recovery Schedule for Key Players
While the exact timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
