Boss Ruben Amorim argues that changing Man Utd's formation due to media scrutiny would have signaled "the end" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his trademark three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and opted to field an standard four-man defense shielded by two central midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this effectively transformed into a six-man defensive block in the final phase as his team held on for a win - securing just their second-ever shutout of the season.
Despite he once notably said that not even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the capacity to experiment with different formations has remained part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could only implement the change when his team were doing sufficiently well - lest it would seem as if he was succumbing to outside noise.
"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I don't have the players to play well in that formation, but it was the start of a process," he stated.
"We were trying to establish an identity. Currently is a distinct moment. We don't have a lot of players, and we need adjust, so they comprehend why we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the influence of journalists, or the faithful.
"Whenever media talk about changing the system all the time, I can't change because the squad will believe I'm changing because of you and I feel that is a disaster for the manager.
"Only when we are getting results in our system, that is the moment to evolve.
"We are going to develop into a more complete side because when all the personnel return, we are not intending to play with a back three exclusively."
Squad Crisis Continue
With just two victories in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is correct to state his team have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a injury-ravaged squad, with seven first-team players already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly urging his boss to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
The Captain's Role Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will almost certainly continue to be deeply engaged, as while most injured players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on offering insight.
"The guy is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's always speaking. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has bad things sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of strengths. After he finishes treatment, he goes to watch the other guys practicing. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."
Return Timeline for Key Players
Although the specific timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
