Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that altering Man Utd's formation due to public noise would have been "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his customary three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and instead field an orthodox back four shielded by two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively became a back six in the latter minutes as his team dug in for a win - securing only their second shutout of the season.
While he once famously said that not even the Pope could compel him to adjust his approach, Amorim maintains the capacity to experiment with different formations has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could only alter the tactics when his team were performing well enough - or else it would seem as if he was succumbing to outside criticism.
"When I arrived here last season, I recognized maybe I didn't possess the personnel to perform effectively in that system, but it was the commencement of a journey," he said.
"The goal was to build an philosophy. Currently is a distinct time. We are missing a lot of players, and we must be flexible, so they see the reason we are switching things up.
"This isn't because of the pressure of you guys, or the fans.
"Whenever the press talk about changing the system repeatedly, I can't make a change because the players will believe I'm altering things because of you and I think that is the downfall for the manager.
"When we are performing strongly in our system, that is the right time to change.
"We are going to become a stronger team because when all the personnel are available, we are not planning to use a back three all the time."
Injury Challenges Continue
With only two wins in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to say his team have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, managing with a depleted roster, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total 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 a key name who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be urging his manager to let him to make a comeback following his muscle injury.
"Fernandes is already saying he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Influence Is Unwavering
However, the Portuguese star will likely continue to be a prominent presence, as while most unavailable players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on offering input.
"He is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are bad things at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the rest of the squad practicing. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"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
Although the exact timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
