Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that altering Man Utd's formation due to public scrutiny would have meant "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his customary three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and instead use an standard back four shielded by two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this at times functioned as a back six in the latter minutes as his team dug in for a victory - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
While he once famously stated that not even the Pope could force him to tweak his approach, Amorim insists the capacity to experiment with different formations has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he emphasizes he could only make the switch when his team were performing well enough - lest it would seem as if he was succumbing to external noise.
"At the time I came here last season, I recognized perhaps I don't have the squad to play well in that formation, but it was the commencement of a project," he stated.
"Our aim was to establish an philosophy. Now is a different moment. We don't have a full complement of players, and we need be flexible, so they understand why we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the pressure of the media, or the supporters.
"Whenever media criticize changing the formation constantly, I cannot make a change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is the end for the manager.
"Only when we are playing well in our preferred setup, then is the moment to adapt.
"This will help us develop into a better team because when our full complement of personnel are back, we are not intending to employ three defenders in every match."
Injury Challenges Persist
With only two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to say his side have been in good form.
He is, however, operating with a injury-ravaged roster, with multiple first-team players already ruled out for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will grow if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly urging his boss to allow him to return following his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Leadership Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will likely continue to be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue offering insight.
"The guy is a leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are bad things at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of good things. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to watch the other guys training. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I don't know if he desires my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Players
Although the specific date for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
