Head coach Ruben Amorim says that switching Man Utd's tactical system due to public noise would have been "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his customary three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and instead field an standard four-man defense shielded by two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a back six in the closing minutes as his squad held on for a crucial result - securing just their second shutout of the campaign.
Despite he once notably remarked that not even the highest authority could force him to change his approach, Amorim insists the capacity to utilize different formations has remained part of his strategy.
However, he stresses he could only make the switch when his team were faring sufficiently well - otherwise it would seem as if he was succumbing to outside pressure.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I lacked the players to excel in that formation, but it was the commencement of a process," he said.
"We were trying to forge an philosophy. Now is a separate moment. We are missing a full complement of personnel, and we have to be flexible, so they see why we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the pressure of the media, or the faithful.
"Whenever the press criticize altering the formation all the time, I can't make a change because the squad will believe I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is a disaster for the coach.
"When we are getting results in our system, that becomes the right time to change.
"This will help us grow into a more complete team because when all the players are back, we are not going to use three defenders in every match."
Squad Crisis Loom Large
Having just two wins in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to state his team have been playing well.
He is, however, operating with a severely stretched roster, with multiple first-team stars already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off 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 match, despite the fact he is understood to be pushing his manager to let him to make a comeback after his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to practice," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Leadership Endures
However, the 31-year-old will probably still be heavily involved, as whereas most injured players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to carry on providing guidance.
"He is a 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's why he's the captain.
"There are flaws sometimes - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a lot of good things. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Key Players
While the precise timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable stars 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.
