Manager Ruben Amorim contends that switching Man Utd's formation due to public noise would have signaled "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his trademark three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and opted to field an traditional four-man defense with two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively became a six-man defensive block in the closing phase as his side dug in for a win - securing only their second shutout of the campaign.
Although he once memorably stated that even the Pope could pressure him to adjust his approach, Amorim maintains the ability to experiment with different setups has remained part of his strategy.
Yet, he stresses he could solely make the switch when his team were faring well enough - lest it would appear as if he was succumbing to outside criticism.
"When I came here last season, I recognized perhaps I lacked the players to excel in that formation, but it was the beginning of a project," he stated.
"We were trying to establish an philosophy. Currently is a separate moment. We are missing a lot of personnel, and we have to be flexible, so they understand why we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the pressure of journalists, or the supporters.
"Whenever the press criticize changing the system constantly, I cannot make a change because the players will believe I'm changing because of external voices and I feel that is the end for the manager.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our system, that is the opportunity to change.
"We will become a more complete side because when our full complement of personnel are available, we are not intending to play with three defenders all the time."
Availability Issues Loom Large
With only two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to state his side have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, managing with a severely stretched roster, with seven senior stars already unavailable for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolves.
That total will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly urging his manager to allow him to make a comeback following his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to train," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Role Is Unwavering
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be a prominent presence, as while most unavailable players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to carry on providing input.
"He is a leader," he declared. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has bad things sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of good things. After he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. He is a true captain."
Return Schedule for Key Personnel
Although the exact timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
