Boss Ruben Amorim contends that switching Man Utd's formation due to external pressure would have been "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his usual three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and opted to use an traditional four-man defense with two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively transformed into a back six in the closing phase as his squad held on for a victory - securing just their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Although he once memorably stated that not even the highest authority could force him to tweak his system, Amorim asserts the capacity to experiment with varied setups has always been part of his long-term vision.
However, he stresses he could solely make the switch when his team were performing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would appear as if he was bowing to outside criticism.
"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I didn't possess the squad to play well in a back three, but it was the beginning of a project," he stated.
"Our aim was to establish an philosophy. Currently is a different moment. We are missing a full complement of players, and we have to be flexible, so they understand why we are changing.
"This isn't because of the demands of the media, or the fans.
"When the press criticize changing the formation repeatedly, I can't change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I feel that is a disaster for the coach.
"Once we are getting results in our system, that is the moment to evolve.
"We are going to become a more complete team because when all the players return, we are not going to use a back three in every match."
Squad Crisis Continue
With only two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to state his side have been playing well.
He is, though, working with a depleted roster, with seven senior stars already confirmed absent for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolves.
That total will increase 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 a key name 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 hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already saying he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
The Captain's Role Endures
However, the Portuguese star will almost certainly continue to be deeply engaged, as while most injured players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue providing input.
"He is a leader," he stated. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's always speaking. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are bad things at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Injured Players
While the exact timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
