Head coach Ruben Amorim says that switching Man Utd's formation due to external pressure would have been "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his trademark three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and opted to deploy an standard four-man defense with two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively became a back six in the final minutes as his team clung on for a win - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
Although he once famously stated that not even the Pope could force him to tweak his system, Amorim asserts the capacity to play with varied formations has always been part of his strategy.
However, he stresses he could solely implement the change when his team were faring sufficiently well - lest it would appear as if he was giving in to external criticism.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I realized perhaps I lacked the personnel to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the commencement of a process," he commented.
"Our aim was to establish an identity. Now is a separate time. We lack a lot of players, and we must be flexible, so they understand the reason we are switching things up.
"This isn't because of the influence of journalists, or the supporters.
"Whenever media discuss altering the formation constantly, I can't make a change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of you and I think that is the downfall for the coach.
"Once we are performing strongly in our system, then is the moment to evolve.
"We are going to become a better squad because when our full complement of personnel are back, we are not planning to play with a back three exclusively."
Availability Crisis Continue
With only two victories in eight games prior to 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 multiple first-team players already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will grow if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly pushing his manager to let him to make a comeback after his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already insisting he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Role Is Unwavering
However, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as whereas most unavailable stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to continue providing insight.
"The guy is a leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and offering advice. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has flaws sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Injured Players
Although the precise timeline for the captain's return - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
