Head coach Ruben Amorim says that changing Man Utd's tactical system due to media scrutiny would have signaled "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his customary three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and instead field an standard four-man defense with two defensive midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this at times functioned as a six-man defensive block in the closing stages as his team clung on for a win - securing just their second-ever shutout of the season.
Despite he once notably said that not even the Pope could compel him to change his approach, Amorim maintains the capacity to play with alternative formations has consistently been part of his strategy.
However, he clarifies he could solely alter the tactics when his team were doing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would appear as if he was bowing to outside pressure.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I lacked the squad to excel in that formation, but it was the beginning of a journey," he said.
"The goal was to establish an identity. Now is a distinct juncture. We don't have a lot of players, and we need adapt, so they see why we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the influence of journalists, or the fans.
"Whenever media talk about altering the system all the time, I can't make a change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of you and I feel that is the downfall for the coach.
"Only when we are playing well in our preferred setup, that is the moment to evolve.
"We will become a stronger squad because when all the personnel return, we are not planning to use a back three exclusively."
Injury Crisis Persist
With just two wins in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to say his team have been playing well.
He is, though, managing with a severely stretched squad, with seven senior stars already unavailable for the upcoming home game against winless Wolves.
That figure will rise if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pressing his manager to allow him to return after his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
Fernandes' Leadership Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will likely continue to be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to continue providing input.
"The guy is a leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of good things. Even after he recovers, he heads to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he desires my job or not, but he's a leader. He is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Injured Personnel
While the precise timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
