Boss Ruben Amorim argues that altering Man Utd's formation due to media noise would have meant "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his trademark three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and instead use an traditional four-man defense shielded by two central midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively transformed into a six-man defensive block in the closing stages as his team dug in for a victory - securing just their second shutout of the campaign.
While he once notably said that even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the ability to utilize varied setups has always been part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could solely make the switch when his team were faring well enough - otherwise it would appear as if he was succumbing to outside criticism.
"When I arrived here last season, I realized perhaps I didn't possess the squad to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the start of a journey," he stated.
"The goal was to forge an philosophy. Currently is a distinct juncture. We don't have a full complement of players, and we must adapt, so they comprehend the reason we are changing.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of you guys, or the fans.
"When you talk about altering the formation repeatedly, I cannot change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is the end for the coach.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, then is the moment to evolve.
"We are going to grow into a more complete squad because when all the personnel return, we are not going to play with three defenders all the time."
Injury Challenges Loom Large
Having only two victories in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to say his team have been playing well.
He is, however, operating with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior stars already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will rise if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his manager to allow him to return following his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to train," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can write that."
The Captain's Role Is Unwavering
However, the Portuguese star will likely continue to be heavily involved, as while most unavailable stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to carry on offering insight.
"He is a leader," he stated. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's always vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has flaws at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of good things. After he finishes treatment, he heads to watch 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. The guy is a leader."
Return Schedule for Injured Players
Although the precise timeline for the captain's return - and that of other injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
