Head coach Ruben Amorim says that altering Man Utd's tactical system due to public pressure would have signaled "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his trademark three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and chose to field an traditional back four shielded by two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately became a six-man defensive block in the latter phase as his team clung on for a win - securing just their second clean sheet of the season.
Although he once notably remarked that even the highest authority could compel him to change his system, Amorim maintains the ability to experiment with different setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
However, he emphasizes he could only implement the change when his team were faring well enough - or else it would appear as if he was bowing to external pressure.
"At the time I came here last season, I realized maybe I didn't possess the squad to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the beginning of a process," he stated.
"Our aim was to establish an style. Now is a different juncture. We are missing a full complement of personnel, and we must be flexible, so they understand the reason we are changing.
"The change isn't because of the demands of the media, or the supporters.
"When the press talk about altering the formation all the time, I cannot make a change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of you and I feel that is the end for the coach.
"Only when we are getting results in our preferred setup, that is the right time to change.
"This will help us grow into a better squad because when our full complement of personnel are back, we are not going to employ three defenders in every match."
Availability Crisis Continue
With just two wins in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to say his team have been in good form.
He is, though, operating with a severely stretched squad, with seven first-team players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pushing his manager to let him to return after his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already insisting he needs to practice," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
Fernandes' Influence Is Unwavering
However, the Portuguese star will probably continue to be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to continue offering guidance.
"He is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has negative aspects at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. He is a leader."
Return Schedule for Key Personnel
While the specific timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
