Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that switching Man Utd's formation due to public scrutiny would have been "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his customary back three formation with wing-backs and opted to deploy an traditional four-man defense shielded by two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times functioned as a back six in the closing minutes as his squad clung on for a victory - securing just their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Despite he once notably remarked that not even the Pope could compel him to tweak his system, Amorim insists the capacity to experiment with different setups has remained part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only make the switch when his team were faring sufficiently well - or else it would seem as if he was bowing to external noise.
"At the time I arrived here last season, I recognized perhaps I lacked the players to perform effectively in that system, but it was the commencement of a journey," he stated.
"Our aim was to establish an philosophy. Now is a distinct moment. We don't have a full complement of players, and we must be flexible, so they see why we are changing.
"It is not because of the demands of journalists, or the faithful.
"Whenever media talk about altering the formation constantly, I can't change because the players will think I'm altering things because of you and I feel that is the end for the manager.
"When we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to change.
"We will grow into a better team because when all the players return, we are not intending to employ three defenders exclusively."
Injury Issues Continue
With just two wins in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, however, managing with a severely stretched roster, with seven senior players already ruled out for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will rise if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his manager to let him to return following his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can write that."
Fernandes' Role Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will likely continue to be deeply engaged, as while most unavailable players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to carry on providing insight.
"The guy is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's always vocal. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are negative aspects at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Injured Players
While the exact date for the captain's return - and that of fellow 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 continental duty.
