Boss Ruben Amorim argues that switching Man Utd's formation due to public noise would have meant "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his trademark back three formation with wide defenders and instead deploy an orthodox four-man defense shielded by two central midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively functioned as a six-man defensive block in the latter minutes as his team held on for a win - securing only their second shutout of the campaign.
Despite he once memorably said that not even the highest authority could force him to change his system, Amorim maintains the ability to utilize varied setups has always 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 seem as if he was giving in to outside noise.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I realized perhaps I lacked the squad to excel in a back three, but it was the commencement of a project," he said.
"The goal was to build an identity. Today is a different juncture. We are missing a full complement of players, and we must adjust, so they comprehend why we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the influence of you guys, or the supporters.
"Whenever media discuss altering the formation all the time, I cannot make a change because the players will understand I'm altering things because of you and I feel that is the downfall for the manager.
"Only when we are getting results in our preferred setup, that becomes the moment to change.
"We will become a more complete squad because when our full complement of players are back, we are not going to employ three defenders exclusively."
Squad Issues Persist
With only two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been in good form.
He is, however, operating with a injury-ravaged roster, with multiple senior players already ruled out for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will rise if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly urging his manager to let him to return after his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already saying he has to practice," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Influence Remains
However, the Portuguese star will likely continue to be heavily involved, as whereas most injured stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to carry on providing input.
"He is a leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's always vocal. That's why he's the captain.
"There are flaws at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he recovers, he goes to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."
Return Schedule for Injured Personnel
While the precise date for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
