Boss Ruben Amorim argues that switching Man Utd's formation due to public scrutiny would have signaled "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his trademark back three formation with wing-backs and opted to use an orthodox four-man defense with two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately became a six-man defensive block in the final minutes as his squad clung on for a win - securing just their second clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once notably stated that even the highest authority could force him to adjust his system, Amorim maintains the capacity to experiment with varied formations has consistently been part of his strategy.
Yet, he emphasizes he could only implement the change when his team were doing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would appear as if he was giving in to external noise.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I don't have the squad to perform effectively in that system, but it was the beginning of a journey," he stated.
"The goal was to forge an identity. Now is a distinct time. We lack a full complement of players, and we need be flexible, so they see why we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the demands of you guys, or the faithful.
"Whenever the press criticize altering the formation constantly, I can't make a change because the players will understand I'm altering things because of you and I feel that is the downfall for the coach.
"When we are performing strongly in our system, then is the moment to adapt.
"We will develop into a stronger side because when all the players are back, we are not planning to use three defenders all the time."
Injury Challenges Persist
Having just two victories in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to state his side have been in good form.
He is, though, operating with a severely stretched squad, with seven first-team players already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pushing his manager to let him to make a comeback after his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already insisting he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
The Captain's Leadership Remains
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to continue offering guidance.
"The guy is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly vocal. That's why he's the captain.
"He has bad things sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects you don't see.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Schedule for Injured Players
Although the precise date for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
