Head coach Ruben Amorim says that switching Man Utd's tactical system due to public noise would have been "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his trademark back three formation with wing-backs and chose to deploy an traditional four-man defense with two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this at times functioned as a six-man defensive block in the closing phase as his team clung on for a victory - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
Although he once notably remarked that not even the Pope could compel him to tweak his approach, Amorim maintains the option to utilize alternative setups has always been part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could solely make the switch when his team were faring sufficiently well - otherwise it would appear as if he was bowing to external noise.
"At the time I came here last season, I understood perhaps I lacked the players to excel in that system, but it was the start of a process," he stated.
"We were trying to forge an philosophy. Now is a separate juncture. We lack a lot of personnel, and we have to adjust, so they see the reason we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of you guys, or the supporters.
"When you criticize changing the formation all the time, I can't make a change because the squad will believe I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is the end for the manager.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that is the opportunity to change.
"We are going to develop into a better team because when our full complement of players are back, we are not planning to play with a back three all the time."
Availability Crisis Persist
Having only two victories in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to state his team have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, working with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will grow if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is understood to be pushing his manager to allow him to return following his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already saying he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."
The Captain's Leadership Remains
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be heavily involved, as whereas most injured stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to continue providing guidance.
"The guy is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has bad things at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys training. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Key Personnel
Although the precise timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
