Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that switching Man Utd's formation due to media scrutiny would have been "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his usual three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and instead use an traditional back four with two defensive midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this ultimately functioned as a back six in the closing phase as his side clung on for a win - securing only their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
Despite he once notably remarked that even the Pope could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim maintains the option to utilize varied formations has remained part of his long-term vision.
However, he stresses he could solely alter the tactics when his team were faring at an acceptable level - lest it would look as if he was succumbing to outside pressure.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I didn't possess the players to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the beginning of a process," he commented.
"The goal was to forge an philosophy. Currently is a different time. We lack a lot of players, and we must be flexible, so they see the reason we are making changes.
"It is not because of the pressure of you guys, or the fans.
"When you talk about altering the system repeatedly, I can't change because the players will believe I'm altering things because of external voices and I feel that is a disaster for the coach.
"Only when we are getting results in our system, that becomes the right time to adapt.
"This will help us become a more complete side because when our full complement of personnel are back, we are not planning to play with a back three all the time."
Injury Challenges Continue
Having only two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a severely stretched roster, with seven first-team players already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That figure will rise if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly pressing his manager to allow him to make a comeback after his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already insisting he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
The Captain's Role Endures
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be heavily involved, as while most unavailable stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to continue providing guidance.
"He is a leader," he stated. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and offering advice. He's constantly communicating. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has bad things sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he recovers, he heads to watch the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Key Personnel
Although the specific date for the captain's return - and that of other unavailable stars 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 continental duty.
