Head coach Ruben Amorim says that switching Man Utd's formation due to external noise would have been "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim abandoned his usual three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and instead field an orthodox back four with two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times became a back six in the latter minutes as his squad clung on for a win - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
Despite he once notably stated that not even the Pope could force him to adjust his approach, Amorim insists the capacity to experiment with alternative formations has always been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could only alter the tactics when his team were performing sufficiently well - otherwise it would appear as if he was bowing to outside noise.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I realized perhaps I don't have the squad to play well in a back three, but it was the commencement of a process," he stated.
"The goal was to forge an style. Today is a different juncture. We are missing a full complement of personnel, and we need adapt, so they see the reason we are changing.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the supporters.
"Whenever you discuss changing the system repeatedly, I can't change because the squad will think I'm changing because of external voices and I feel that is the downfall for the manager.
"When we are getting results in our preferred setup, then is the moment to evolve.
"We will grow into a more complete team because when all the personnel are back, we are not going to play with a back three all the time."
Squad Issues Continue
Having only two wins in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to say his team have been playing well.
He is, however, working with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the upcoming home game against winless Wolves.
That total will increase if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pushing his manager to allow him to return following his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to practice," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Influence Remains
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be heavily involved, as while most injured stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on offering guidance.
"He is a natural leader," he declared. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's always vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a lot of good things. After he recovers, he goes to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. He is a leader."
Recovery Schedule for Key Personnel
Although the precise timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
