Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that switching Man Utd's formation due to external scrutiny would have been "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his customary three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and chose to use an traditional back four with two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively functioned as a six-man defensive block in the latter phase as his team clung on for a crucial result - securing only their second-ever shutout of the season.
Despite he once famously stated that not even the highest authority could force him to change his system, Amorim asserts the ability to experiment with different formations has always been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could solely make the switch when his team were performing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would appear as if he was giving in to outside noise.
"At the time I came here last season, I realized maybe I didn't possess the personnel to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the start of a project," he stated.
"The goal was to forge an identity. Now is a separate time. We are missing a lot of personnel, and we must adapt, so they comprehend the reason we are switching things up.
"This isn't because of the demands of the media, or the fans.
"Whenever the press talk about altering the formation repeatedly, I cannot change because the squad will believe I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is a disaster for the manager.
"Once we are playing well in our system, then is the moment to change.
"This will help us develop into a more complete squad because when all the personnel are back, we are not planning to play with three defenders exclusively."
Squad Challenges Persist
Having just two wins in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is correct to claim his team have been in good form.
He is, though, operating with a injury-ravaged squad, with seven first-team stars already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will rise if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pushing his manager to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he has to practice," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
The Captain's Influence Endures
However, the Portuguese star will almost certainly continue to be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to carry on offering guidance.
"He is a natural leader," he declared. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's always speaking. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has bad things at times - 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 practicing. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. He is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Key Personnel
While the exact timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
