Manager Ruben Amorim contends that changing Man Utd's tactical system due to public pressure would have meant "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his usual back three setup with wide defenders and chose to field an orthodox four-man defense shielded by two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the latter minutes as his side dug in for a victory - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
While he once famously said that even the highest authority could force him to adjust his system, Amorim maintains the ability to utilize varied setups has consistently been part of his plan.
Yet, he clarifies he could only make the switch when his team were doing sufficiently well - or else it would appear as if he was succumbing to outside noise.
"At the time I arrived here last season, I recognized perhaps I didn't possess the personnel to perform effectively in that system, but it was the commencement of a journey," he said.
"The goal was to forge an style. Currently is a different time. We are missing a full complement of players, and we need adjust, so they understand why we are changing.
"It is not because of the pressure of the media, or the fans.
"Whenever media discuss altering the system repeatedly, I can't make a change because the players will think I'm changing because of you and I think that is a disaster for the coach.
"Only when we are playing well in our system, that is the moment to adapt.
"We will develop into a more complete squad because when our full complement of players return, we are not going to play with a back three all the time."
Availability Crisis Persist
Having just two wins in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to claim his team have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, managing with a severely stretched roster, with seven first-team stars already ruled out for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, despite the fact he is understood to be pushing his manager to let him to make a comeback after his muscle injury.
"Fernandes is already insisting he has to practice," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
The Captain's Role Endures
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will likely continue to be a prominent presence, as while most injured stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on offering guidance.
"The guy is a leader," he declared. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That's why he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects sometimes - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects you don't see.
"I don't know if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Personnel
Although the exact timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of other injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
