Head coach Ruben Amorim says that switching Man Utd's tactical system due to external scrutiny would have meant "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his customary back three setup with wing-backs and opted to deploy an standard four-man defense with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the final stages as his team held on for a crucial result - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
Although he once notably said that even the Pope could compel him to tweak his system, Amorim asserts the capacity to utilize alternative formations has always been part of his plan.
However, he stresses he could only alter the tactics when his team were performing sufficiently well - otherwise it would look as if he was giving in to outside pressure.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I don't have the personnel to perform effectively in that system, but it was the commencement of a project," he said.
"Our aim was to establish an identity. Today is a separate moment. We are missing a full complement of players, and we have to be flexible, so they understand the reason we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the influence of the media, or the faithful.
"Whenever media discuss altering the formation constantly, I cannot change because the squad will believe I'm altering things because of you and I feel that is a disaster for the coach.
"When we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that is the moment to evolve.
"We are going to become a more complete squad because when all the players return, we are not going to employ three defenders all the time."
Injury Issues Loom Large
Having just two victories in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is correct to state his side have been in good form.
He is, however, operating with a severely stretched squad, with seven senior players already unavailable for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly pressing his boss to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Role Endures
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably still be a prominent presence, as while most unavailable players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to carry on providing guidance.
"The guy is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has bad things at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of good things. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the other guys training. There are a lot of things you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Key Players
While the exact timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
