Boss Ruben Amorim argues that switching Man Utd's formation due to public noise would have signaled "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his customary back three setup with wide defenders and chose to field an orthodox back four shielded by two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively became a back six in the closing stages as his team clung on for a win - securing only their second-ever shutout of the season.
While he once memorably stated that not even the Pope could pressure him to change his system, Amorim asserts the capacity to play with varied setups has always been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could only implement the change when his team were performing sufficiently well - otherwise it would look as if he was bowing to external criticism.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I lacked the squad to perform effectively in that system, but it was the start of a project," he commented.
"We were trying to forge an philosophy. Now is a distinct moment. We lack a full complement of personnel, and we need be flexible, so they see the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the influence of you guys, or the fans.
"Whenever media criticize changing the system all the time, I can't change because the players will think I'm altering things because of you and I feel that is the downfall for the manager.
"When we are playing well in our system, then is the moment to change.
"This will help us become a better squad because when all the personnel are available, we are not planning to use three defenders all the time."
Availability Issues Continue
With just two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to state his team have been playing well.
He is, though, working with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven senior players already ruled out for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolves.
That figure will rise if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be urging his boss to allow him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already saying he needs to practice," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
Fernandes' Role Endures
However, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue providing guidance.
"The guy is a natural leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's constantly communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are bad things at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of things 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 Timeline for Key Personnel
While the precise timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of other 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.
