Manager Ruben Amorim contends that changing Man Utd's tactical system due to media noise would have been "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim moved away from his customary back three setup with wing-backs and opted to use an standard four-man defense with two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately became a back six in the latter phase as his squad held on for a crucial result - securing only their second shutout of the season.
Although he once memorably remarked that even the highest authority could compel him to tweak his approach, Amorim maintains the ability to experiment with different formations has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
However, he emphasizes he could only implement the change when his team were doing at an acceptable level - lest it would look as if he was giving in to outside criticism.
"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I don't have the players to play well in that system, but it was the beginning of a journey," he said.
"Our aim was to forge an style. Now is a different moment. We are missing a full complement of players, and we must adjust, so they see why we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the influence of journalists, or the faithful.
"Whenever you talk about changing the system repeatedly, I can't make a change because the players will think I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is the downfall for the manager.
"When we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that is the right time to evolve.
"This will help us develop into a better side because when our full complement of personnel return, we are not going to play with three defenders exclusively."
Availability Challenges Loom Large
With just two wins in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to say his side have been in good form.
He is, however, managing with a severely stretched roster, with seven senior stars already ruled out for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will increase if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be urging his manager to allow him to return after his muscle injury.
"Fernandes is already insisting he has to practice," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
Fernandes' Leadership Endures
However, the Portuguese star will probably still be heavily involved, as whereas most unavailable players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to carry on offering guidance.
"The guy is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly communicating. That's why he's the skipper.
"He has flaws sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of good things. After he recovers, he heads to watch the rest of the squad practicing. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Key Personnel
While the exact date for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
