Boss Ruben Amorim contends that altering Man Utd's formation due to external noise would have been "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his usual three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and opted to use an orthodox back four shielded by two central midfielders.
By his own admission this at times functioned as a six-man defensive block in the latter phase as his side held on for a victory - securing only their second-ever shutout of the season.
Although he once famously stated that even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his approach, Amorim asserts the capacity to experiment with different formations has remained part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he clarifies he could only alter the tactics when his team were performing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would seem as if he was succumbing to external criticism.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized perhaps I don't have the squad to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the start of a journey," he said.
"We were trying to forge an philosophy. Now is a distinct moment. We don't have a lot of players, and we need adjust, so they understand the reason we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of journalists, or the fans.
"When you discuss changing the formation repeatedly, I can't make a change because the players will think I'm altering things because of you and I feel that is the end for the coach.
"When we are performing strongly in our system, that becomes the right time to adapt.
"We will become a better team because when all the players are back, we are not going to play with a back three exclusively."
Injury Crisis Persist
Having just two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his side have been playing well.
He is, though, operating with a severely stretched squad, with multiple senior stars already confirmed absent for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolves.
That number will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his manager to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already saying he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
Fernandes' Role Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be heavily involved, as whereas most unavailable stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to continue offering insight.
"He is a natural leader," he declared. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's always vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has bad things sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. He is a true captain."
Return Schedule for Injured Personnel
Although the specific timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
