Boss Ruben Amorim says that changing Man Utd's formation due to public pressure would have been "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his trademark three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and instead field an traditional back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively became a six-man defensive block in the closing phase as his team dug in for a crucial result - securing just their second shutout of the campaign.
Although he once notably said that not even the highest authority could compel him to adjust his approach, Amorim maintains the option to play with alternative setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could only implement the change when his team were faring sufficiently well - otherwise it would seem as if he was giving in to outside criticism.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I lacked the squad to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the beginning of a journey," he said.
"The goal was to build an style. Now is a separate juncture. We lack a full complement of players, and we need adapt, so they see why we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the supporters.
"Whenever you discuss changing the formation all the time, I cannot make a change because the players will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is a disaster for the coach.
"Only when we are playing well in our preferred setup, that becomes the opportunity to change.
"This will help us develop into a more complete squad because when all the players are back, we are not planning to play with a back three all the time."
Squad Challenges Loom Large
Having only two wins in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his side have been playing well.
He is, however, working with a injury-ravaged roster, with multiple senior stars already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly pressing his boss to let him to return following his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already insisting he has to train," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Influence Is Unwavering
However, the 31-year-old will probably still be deeply engaged, as while most injured stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to continue providing input.
"The guy is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's always speaking. That's why he's the captain.
"He has flaws at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."
Return Schedule for Injured Personnel
Although the precise date for the captain's comeback - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
