Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that switching Man Utd's formation due to external scrutiny would have meant "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his trademark three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and opted to deploy an traditional back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively functioned as a back six in the closing stages as his squad dug in for a crucial result - securing just their second shutout of the season.
While he once notably stated that even the Pope could compel him to tweak his approach, Amorim insists the capacity to experiment with alternative setups has always been part of his plan.
Yet, he stresses he could solely alter the tactics when his team were doing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would look as if he was succumbing to outside pressure.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I lacked the squad to play well in that formation, but it was the commencement of a project," he stated.
"We were trying to establish an identity. Now is a distinct time. We are missing a full complement of players, and we have to adapt, so they understand why we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the demands of you guys, or the faithful.
"Whenever you criticize changing the system constantly, I can't change because the players will believe I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is the downfall for the manager.
"Only when we are playing well in our preferred setup, that is the right time to change.
"This will help us grow into a better side because when our full complement of players are available, we are not intending to use a back three all the time."
Availability Issues Persist
With only two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is correct to say his team have been playing well.
He is, however, operating with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be urging his boss to allow him to make a comeback following his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already saying he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
The Captain's Leadership Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be a prominent presence, as whereas most injured players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue providing input.
"He is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are flaws sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he recovers, he goes to watch the other guys training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Key Personnel
Although the precise timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
