Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that switching Man Utd's formation due to external noise would have meant "the end" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his customary back three setup with wide defenders and opted to deploy an orthodox four-man defense with two central midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this effectively transformed into a six-man defensive block in the final stages as his squad held on for a victory - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
Although he once memorably remarked that not even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim asserts the capacity to experiment with varied formations has always been part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only implement the change when his team were faring sufficiently well - lest it would seem as if he was giving in to outside criticism.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I didn't possess the players to excel in a back three, but it was the start of a process," he said.
"We were trying to establish an identity. Now is a different juncture. We lack a lot of players, and we have to be flexible, so they see why we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the fans.
"When media criticize altering the formation constantly, I can't make a change because the players will understand I'm changing 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 opportunity to evolve.
"This will help us grow into a stronger squad because when all the personnel are back, we are not going to play with a back three in every match."
Injury Issues Continue
Having just two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to say his side have been in good form.
He is, however, operating with a severely stretched squad, with seven first-team stars already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is understood to be pushing his boss to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already saying he has to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
Fernandes' Leadership Endures
However, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as while most injured players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to continue providing insight.
"The guy 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 speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the other guys practicing. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Schedule for Key Personnel
While the precise date for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
