Head coach Ruben Amorim says that altering Man Utd's tactical system due to media noise would have meant "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his customary back three setup with wing-backs and opted to field an traditional back four shielded by two central midfielders.
By his own admission this at times became a back six in the final stages as his team dug in for a crucial result - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once famously remarked that not even the highest authority could compel him to change his approach, Amorim insists the option to play with alternative setups has consistently been part of his plan.
However, he stresses he could solely make the switch when his team were doing at an acceptable level - lest it would look as if he was giving in to external noise.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I don't have the squad to excel in a back three, but it was the commencement of a process," he stated.
"We were trying to establish an philosophy. Today is a different time. We don't have a full complement of players, and we need adjust, so they understand the reason we are switching things up.
"This isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the fans.
"When you talk about changing the system repeatedly, I cannot make a change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is the end for the manager.
"Only when we are playing well in our preferred setup, that becomes the moment to change.
"We will grow into a better side because when all the personnel return, we are not planning to employ a back three in every match."
Injury Issues Continue
With only two wins in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to state his side have been in good form.
He is, though, operating with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven first-team players already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will grow if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be urging his boss to let him to return following his muscle injury.
"Fernandes is already saying he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
Fernandes' Role Endures
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly continue to be heavily involved, as while most unavailable stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted 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 continue providing insight.
"He is a leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has flaws sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he recovers, he heads to watch the rest of the squad practicing. There are a many things you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. He is a leader."
Return Timeline for Key Personnel
While the precise timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
