Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that changing Man Utd's tactical system due to public pressure would have signaled "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his usual back three setup with wing-backs and instead deploy an orthodox four-man defense with two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a back six in the closing phase as his side dug in for a win - securing just their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
Despite he once famously remarked that even the highest authority could force him to tweak his approach, Amorim asserts the capacity to utilize different formations has remained part of his plan.
Yet, he emphasizes he could solely implement the change when his team were faring well enough - lest it would appear as if he was giving in to outside criticism.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized perhaps I lacked the squad to excel in that formation, but it was the beginning of a journey," he said.
"The goal was to forge an philosophy. Now is a different juncture. We are missing a lot of players, and we must be flexible, so they comprehend the reason we are changing.
"The change isn't because of the demands of journalists, or the faithful.
"When media discuss altering the system constantly, I cannot make a change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is a disaster for the coach.
"Once we are getting results in our preferred setup, that is the right time to evolve.
"We will develop into a more complete squad because when all the personnel are back, we are not going to use three defenders all the time."
Injury Issues Loom Large
Having only two victories in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to state his team have been playing well.
He is, though, operating with a severely stretched roster, with seven first-team stars already confirmed absent for the upcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will rise if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be pushing his boss to let him to return after his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
Fernandes' Role Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to continue offering input.
"The guy is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of strengths. After he recovers, he goes to observe the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Key Players
Although the precise date for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
