Manager Ruben Amorim says that changing Man Utd's formation due to public noise would have meant "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his usual three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and chose to field an orthodox back four with two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times became a back six in the latter minutes as his side held on for a win - securing only their second shutout of the season.
Despite he once memorably remarked that not even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his approach, Amorim maintains the ability to experiment with alternative formations has always been part of his plan.
However, he stresses he could solely make the switch when his team were doing sufficiently well - otherwise it would look as if he was giving in to outside criticism.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I didn't possess the personnel to excel in that system, but it was the start of a project," he stated.
"We were trying to forge an identity. Today is a separate time. We lack a lot of players, and we need adapt, so they see the reason we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the demands of journalists, or the supporters.
"When media talk about changing the system constantly, I cannot change because the players will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I feel that is the downfall for the coach.
"When we are performing strongly in our system, then is the opportunity to adapt.
"We will grow into a more complete team because when our full complement of players are back, we are not intending to use three defenders in every match."
Availability Crisis Persist
With only two wins in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, though, operating with a severely stretched roster, with seven senior players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will rise if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be urging his manager to let him to return after his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already insisting he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Role Remains
However, the Portuguese star will probably still be deeply engaged, as while most injured stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to continue providing guidance.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are flaws sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of strengths. After he recovers, he heads to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Key Personnel
Although the exact timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
