Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that altering Man Utd's formation due to media noise would have signaled "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his customary back three setup with wing-backs and chose to deploy an traditional back four with two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the latter phase as his team clung on for a win - securing only their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
Although he once memorably said that even the Pope could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim maintains the ability to utilize alternative setups has consistently been part of his strategy.
Yet, he stresses he could only implement the change when his team were doing sufficiently well - or else it would seem as if he was succumbing to outside pressure.
"When I arrived here last season, I realized perhaps I lacked the players to excel in that system, but it was the start of a project," he stated.
"The goal was to build an identity. Today is a different juncture. We are missing a lot of personnel, and we must be flexible, so they comprehend the reason we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the demands of journalists, or the supporters.
"Whenever the press talk about altering the formation all the time, I cannot change because the squad will think I'm changing because of external voices and I believe that is a disaster for the coach.
"When we are performing strongly in our system, that is the right time to adapt.
"We will become a more complete squad because when all the personnel return, we are not intending to play with three defenders exclusively."
Availability Challenges Loom Large
With only two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to state his side have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, managing with a depleted squad, with seven first-team players already ruled out for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will grow if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his manager to let him to make a comeback after his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
The Captain's Role Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be deeply engaged, as while most injured players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on providing input.
"The guy is a leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has bad things sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. After he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a many things you don't see.
"I don't know if he desires my job 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 return - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
