Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that altering Man Utd's formation due to public noise would have signaled "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his trademark three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and chose to field an orthodox back four with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately functioned as a six-man defensive block in the closing minutes as his side clung on for a victory - securing only their second clean sheet of the campaign.
While he once famously said that not even the Pope could force him to tweak his approach, Amorim asserts the capacity to experiment with alternative setups has always been part of his plan.
Yet, he emphasizes he could solely make the switch when his team were faring at an acceptable level - lest it would appear as if he was giving in to outside noise.
"When I arrived here last season, I recognized perhaps I lacked the players to excel in that formation, but it was the start of a journey," he stated.
"We were trying to build an identity. Today is a separate moment. We lack a full complement of players, and we have to adjust, so they comprehend the reason we are changing.
"The change isn't because of the demands of journalists, or the fans.
"When the press talk about changing the formation repeatedly, I cannot make a change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is the end for the manager.
"When we are playing well in our preferred setup, then is the right time to evolve.
"We are going to develop into a more complete team because when our full complement of players are back, we are not intending to employ three defenders in every match."
Availability Issues Persist
With just two wins in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to state his side have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven senior stars already confirmed absent for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be urging his manager to let him to return following his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already saying he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Leadership Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably still be a prominent presence, as while most injured players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on providing guidance.
"He is a leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly communicating. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are bad things at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Key Personnel
While the precise timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
