Boss Ruben Amorim contends that altering Man Utd's formation due to public scrutiny would have been "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his trademark back three formation with wing-backs and instead field an standard back four shielded by two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately functioned as a six-man defensive block in the latter stages as his squad clung on for a crucial result - securing only their second clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once famously remarked that even the highest authority could force him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the option to play with alternative formations has always been part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could only alter the tactics when his team were doing sufficiently well - or else it would appear as if he was bowing to external noise.
"When I came here last season, I realized perhaps I lacked the squad to play well in a back three, but it was the beginning of a journey," he commented.
"We were trying to establish an identity. Today is a distinct time. We lack a full complement of personnel, and we need adjust, so they see why we are changing.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the faithful.
"Whenever you talk about altering the system constantly, I can't change because the players will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I believe that is the end for the manager.
"When we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to evolve.
"We will grow into a better squad because when our full complement of personnel return, we are not planning to use a back three exclusively."
Squad Challenges Persist
Having only two wins in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is correct to state his side have been in good form.
He is, though, working with a depleted roster, with seven first-team players already unavailable for the upcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will rise if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that led to 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 pressing his manager to allow him to return following his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already saying he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Leadership Is Unwavering
However, the 31-year-old will likely still be deeply engaged, as whereas most unavailable stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to continue providing input.
"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 constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are flaws at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a lot of good things. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of things you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Injured Players
While the exact timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
