Head coach Ruben Amorim says that switching Man Utd's tactical system due to external scrutiny would have meant "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his usual back three formation with wide defenders and chose to deploy an orthodox four-man defense with two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the latter phase as his squad held on for a win - securing just their second shutout of the season.
Although he once famously stated that not even the Pope could force him to adjust his system, Amorim asserts the option to experiment with varied setups has remained part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he clarifies he could solely make the switch when his team were performing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would look as if he was giving in to outside criticism.
"When I arrived here last season, I understood perhaps I didn't possess the squad to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the beginning of a process," he said.
"Our aim was to establish an style. Now is a distinct juncture. We lack a lot of personnel, and we have to adapt, so they comprehend the reason we are switching things up.
"This isn't because of the demands of journalists, or the faithful.
"Whenever you talk about altering the formation repeatedly, I can't make a change because the squad will believe I'm changing because of you and I feel that is the end for the coach.
"Once we are playing well in our system, that is the opportunity to change.
"We will grow into a more complete side because when all the personnel are available, we are not planning to use three defenders all the time."
Injury Challenges Continue
Having just two wins in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to state his side have been playing well.
He is, however, managing with a injury-ravaged roster, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will grow if playmaker Mason Mount fails to shake off the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pressing his boss to allow him to return after his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already saying he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
Fernandes' Role Remains
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly continue to be heavily involved, as whereas most unavailable stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to continue offering insight.
"He is a leader," he declared. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of strengths. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to watch the other guys training. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my job or not, but he's a leader. He is a leader."
Return Schedule for Injured Players
Although the precise date for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
