Boss Ruben Amorim contends that altering Man Utd's formation due to external noise would have meant "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his trademark back three setup with wide defenders and chose to deploy an traditional back four shielded by two central midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a back six in the final minutes as his squad held on for a crucial result - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once famously said that even the Pope could force him to change his approach, Amorim insists the ability to utilize alternative setups has always been part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only make the switch when his team were doing at an acceptable level - or else it would appear as if he was giving in to outside pressure.
"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I lacked the players to play well in that formation, but it was the beginning of a project," he stated.
"We were trying to build an identity. Currently is a distinct time. We are missing a full complement of personnel, and we need adjust, so they see the reason we are changing.
"This isn't because of the demands of the media, or the faithful.
"When you criticize altering the system repeatedly, I can't make a change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of external voices and I believe that is the end for the coach.
"Once we are getting results in our preferred setup, then is the opportunity to evolve.
"We are going to become a stronger squad because when our full complement of players are back, we are not going to play with three defenders in every match."
Availability Issues Loom Large
Having just two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to claim his team have been in good form.
He is, however, managing with a depleted squad, with seven senior stars already confirmed absent for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will rise if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be pressing his manager to let him to make a comeback following his muscle injury.
"Fernandes is already saying he has to train," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Leadership Endures
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably still be a prominent presence, as while most unavailable players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on offering insight.
"He is a 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 skipper.
"He has bad things sometimes - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Key Players
Although the exact date for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
