Boss Ruben Amorim contends that changing Man Utd's formation due to external pressure would have signaled "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his usual back three formation with wide defenders and opted to use an orthodox four-man defense shielded by two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately functioned as a six-man defensive block in the final stages as his squad held on for a win - securing just their second-ever shutout of the season.
While he once memorably said that not even the Pope could force him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the ability to experiment with varied setups has remained part of his plan.
However, he clarifies he could solely alter the tactics when his team were doing sufficiently well - or else it would look as if he was giving in to external noise.
"At the time I arrived here last season, I understood maybe I didn't possess the players to excel in a back three, but it was the commencement of a journey," he said.
"We were trying to establish an identity. Today is a distinct time. We lack a full complement of players, and we have to adjust, so they see why we are switching things up.
"This isn't because of the influence of the media, or the supporters.
"When the press criticize changing the system all the time, I can't make a change because the players will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is a disaster for the coach.
"When we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that is the moment to adapt.
"This will help us develop into a better squad because when all the personnel are available, we are not intending to play with a back three exclusively."
Injury Issues Continue
With just two victories in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to state his side have been playing well.
He is, however, managing with a severely stretched squad, with seven first-team stars already confirmed absent for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolves.
That total will grow if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his boss to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already saying he needs to train," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
However, the 31-year-old will likely still be heavily involved, as whereas most injured stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to continue offering guidance.
"He is a leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has flaws sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he recovers, he heads to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I don't know if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Injured Personnel
While the exact date for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
