Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that altering Man Utd's formation due to external noise would have been "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his usual three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and chose to field an traditional four-man defense with two holding midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this at times functioned as a six-man defensive block in the closing minutes as his side dug in for a crucial result - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once famously stated that not even the highest authority could force him to change his system, Amorim maintains the ability to experiment with alternative setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he emphasizes he could only alter the tactics when his team were doing at an acceptable level - or else it would look as if he was giving in to outside noise.
"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I don't have the players to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the start of a journey," he stated.
"The goal was to forge an identity. Currently is a distinct time. We don't have a lot of personnel, and we have to be flexible, so they comprehend why we are changing.
"It is not because of the demands of journalists, or the faithful.
"Whenever you criticize changing the system all the time, I can't make a change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is a disaster for the manager.
"Only when we are getting results in our preferred setup, then is the moment to evolve.
"We are going to grow into a stronger team because when our full complement of players are available, we are not going to employ three defenders exclusively."
Squad Issues Persist
Having only two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to say his team have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, working with a injury-ravaged squad, with multiple senior stars already ruled out for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will increase if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be pressing his boss to let him to make a comeback after his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already saying he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
The Captain's Role Endures
However, the Portuguese star will probably continue to be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to continue offering input.
"The guy is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's always 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. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the other guys training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Injured Personnel
While the exact date for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
