Boss Ruben Amorim argues that changing Man Utd's formation due to external scrutiny would have been "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his customary three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and opted to field an traditional back four shielded by two central midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately functioned as a six-man defensive block in the final minutes as his squad held on for a crucial result - securing just their second clean sheet of the campaign.
While he once memorably remarked that not even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his approach, Amorim maintains the option to play with different setups has always been part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only implement the change when his team were performing at an acceptable level - or else it would appear as if he was succumbing to external pressure.
"At the time I came here last season, I recognized maybe I lacked the players to excel in that system, but it was the beginning of a project," he said.
"The goal was to forge an identity. Currently is a distinct juncture. We lack a full complement of players, and we need be flexible, so they comprehend the reason we are making changes.
"It is not because of the pressure of you guys, or the supporters.
"When media discuss changing the system all the time, I can't change because the squad will believe I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is a disaster for the coach.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our system, that is the opportunity to adapt.
"We are going to become a better squad because when all the personnel are available, we are not intending to use a back three all the time."
Squad Challenges Persist
Having only two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to say his side have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, managing with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior stars already confirmed absent for the upcoming home game against winless Wolves.
That number will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover 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, despite the fact he is understood to be pushing his boss to let him to make a comeback following his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already insisting he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue providing insight.
"He is a natural leader," he declared. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has flaws at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Key Personnel
While the exact date for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
