Manager Ruben Amorim says that altering Man Utd's formation due to media pressure would have been "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his trademark three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and instead deploy an standard back four with two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the latter stages as his squad dug in for a win - securing only their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Despite he once famously said that even the highest authority could pressure him to change his approach, Amorim maintains the ability to play with different setups has consistently been part of his plan.
However, he stresses he could solely implement the change when his team were doing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would look as if he was bowing to outside criticism.
"When I came here last season, I realized maybe I didn't possess the personnel to excel in that system, but it was the commencement of a journey," he stated.
"The goal was to forge an philosophy. Now is a distinct time. We are missing a full complement of personnel, and we have to adjust, so they comprehend why we are changing.
"This isn't because of the pressure of you guys, or the faithful.
"Whenever media discuss changing the system all the time, I cannot make a change because the players will believe I'm changing because of external voices and I feel that is the downfall for the manager.
"Once we are getting results in our system, then is the moment to adapt.
"This will help us grow into a better squad because when our full complement of players return, we are not going to use three defenders all the time."
Injury Crisis Continue
Having just two wins in their last eight outings prior to 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 roster, with seven first-team stars already ruled out for the upcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be pushing his manager to let him to return after his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already insisting he has to train," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly continue to be deeply engaged, as while most unavailable stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to continue offering guidance.
"The guy is a leader," he stated. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's constantly vocal. That's why he's the skipper.
"He has bad things at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he recovers, he heads to watch the other guys practicing. There are a lot of things you don't see.
"I don't know if he wants my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Personnel
Although the precise date for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
