Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that switching Man Utd's formation due to media noise would have been "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his usual three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and instead deploy an orthodox four-man defense with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the latter minutes as his team clung on for a crucial result - securing just their second shutout of the season.
Despite he once notably said that even the Pope could pressure him to tweak his system, Amorim insists the ability to play with varied formations has remained part of his plan.
Yet, he clarifies he could only implement the change when his team were doing sufficiently well - otherwise it would look as if he was giving in to external noise.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I lacked the squad to excel in that system, but it was the start of a process," he stated.
"We were trying to build an style. Currently is a distinct time. We are missing a full complement of players, and we must adjust, so they see the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the influence of the media, or the faithful.
"Whenever the press talk about altering the system constantly, I can't make a change because the players will think I'm altering things because of external voices and I believe that is a disaster for the coach.
"When we are performing strongly in our system, then is the opportunity to evolve.
"This will help us grow into a stronger team because when all the players are back, we are not intending to play with a back three in every match."
Availability Issues Persist
Having just two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to say his side have been playing well.
He is, though, managing with a severely stretched squad, with seven first-team stars already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will grow if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is reportedly urging his boss to let him to return after his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already saying he has to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Influence Is Unwavering
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly continue to be heavily involved, as whereas 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 expects his captain to continue providing guidance.
"The guy is a natural 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 vocal. That's why he's the captain.
"He has bad things sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a many things you don't see.
"I don't know if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. He is a true captain."
Return Schedule for Injured Personnel
Although the precise date for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
