Head coach Ruben Amorim says that altering Man Utd's formation due to public scrutiny would have been "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his usual three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and instead deploy an traditional four-man defense shielded by two central midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this at times transformed into a back six in the final stages as his squad held on for a win - securing only their second-ever shutout of the season.
Despite he once famously remarked that not even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim asserts the capacity to experiment with different setups has remained part of his plan.
Yet, he clarifies he could only implement the change when his team were faring at an acceptable level - or else it would look as if he was bowing to outside noise.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I lacked the squad to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the start of a process," he commented.
"The goal was to forge an philosophy. Now is a distinct juncture. We lack a lot of players, and we have to be flexible, so they understand the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the demands of you guys, or the supporters.
"Whenever you discuss changing the system constantly, I can't make a change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of you and I think that is the end for the manager.
"Once we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that is the opportunity to change.
"We will develop into a better squad because when our full complement of personnel are available, we are not going to employ a back three in every match."
Injury Crisis Continue
With just two wins in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, managing with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven senior players already ruled out for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will grow if midfielder Mason Mount fails to shake off the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be pushing his boss to let him to make a comeback following his muscle injury.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will almost certainly continue to be a prominent presence, as while most injured players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to continue providing input.
"The guy is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad practicing. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Key Players
While the specific date for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
