Boss Ruben Amorim contends that altering Man Utd's formation due to public scrutiny would have been "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his usual back three setup with wing-backs and opted to field an standard back four with two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively became a back six in the final minutes as his squad clung on for a win - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
Despite he once memorably said that not even the highest authority could force him to adjust his system, Amorim insists the capacity to play with different setups has always been part of his strategy.
Yet, he clarifies he could solely alter the tactics when his team were performing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would seem as if he was succumbing to outside noise.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I lacked the players to play well in a back three, but it was the start of a journey," he stated.
"Our aim was to forge an identity. Now is a separate juncture. We lack a lot of players, and we need be flexible, so they understand the reason we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the supporters.
"When the press discuss altering the formation repeatedly, I cannot make a change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I believe that is a disaster for the coach.
"When we are getting results in our system, that becomes the moment to evolve.
"This will help us develop into a stronger team because when all the personnel are back, we are not intending to use three defenders in every match."
Squad Crisis Persist
With only two victories in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to claim his team have been in good form.
He is, however, managing with a severely stretched squad, with multiple senior stars already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will grow if playmaker Mason Mount fails to shake off the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be pressing his boss to let him to make a comeback after his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to train," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Leadership Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will likely continue to be deeply engaged, as while most unavailable stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue providing insight.
"The guy is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and offering advice. He's always communicating. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are negative aspects sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he recovers, he goes to observe the other guys training. There are a lot of things you don't see.
"I don't know if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Key Personnel
While the precise date for Fernandes' return - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
