Manager Ruben Amorim says that switching Man Utd's formation due to public pressure would have signaled "the end" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his usual back three formation with wide defenders and opted to field an orthodox four-man defense with two central midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this at times functioned as a six-man defensive block in the latter stages as his squad held on for a victory - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
While he once memorably stated that not even the Pope could force him to change his system, Amorim maintains the ability to utilize varied setups has remained part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could solely make the switch when his team were doing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would appear as if he was bowing to outside criticism.
"At the time I came here last season, I recognized maybe I didn't possess the squad to perform effectively in that system, but it was the commencement of a project," he stated.
"We were trying to establish an philosophy. Currently is a separate moment. We lack a lot of personnel, and we must adjust, so they see why we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the demands of the media, or the faithful.
"When the press discuss altering the system repeatedly, I cannot change because the players will understand I'm changing because of you and I feel that is a disaster for the manager.
"Only when we are getting results in our preferred setup, that is the opportunity to adapt.
"This will help us become a stronger squad because when our full complement of players return, we are not going to use three defenders exclusively."
Availability Crisis Loom Large
Having only two wins in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is correct to say his team have been playing well.
He is, however, working with a depleted squad, with seven first-team stars already unavailable for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be pressing his boss to let him to return following his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Role Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be heavily involved, as while most injured stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to carry on offering input.
"The guy is a natural leader," he declared. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly communicating. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are negative aspects at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he recovers, he heads to watch the rest of the squad practicing. There are a many 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 true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Key Players
While the exact timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
