Head coach Ruben Amorim says that switching Man Utd's formation due to public pressure would have meant "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle United, Amorim ditched his customary three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and chose to field an orthodox four-man defense shielded by two defensive midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this at times functioned as a back six in the closing stages as his side dug in for a win - securing only their second shutout of the campaign.
Although he once notably stated that not even the highest authority could compel him to change his system, Amorim asserts the capacity to experiment with alternative formations has always been part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he clarifies he could only make the switch when his team were doing sufficiently well - lest it would seem as if he was bowing to outside pressure.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized perhaps I didn't possess the personnel to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the beginning of a journey," he commented.
"The goal was to build an identity. Now is a distinct time. We are missing a lot of players, and we have to be flexible, so they see why we are changing.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of you guys, or the fans.
"Whenever you discuss altering the formation repeatedly, I can't make a change because the players will believe I'm altering things because of you and I think that is the downfall for the manager.
"Once we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to change.
"We are going to develop into a more complete squad because when our full complement of players return, we are not intending to use three defenders exclusively."
Injury Crisis Persist
With just two wins in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to state his side have been in good form.
He is, however, working with a injury-ravaged squad, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will grow if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be urging his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
However, the 31-year-old will likely continue to be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to continue providing input.
"The guy is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be that guy 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 negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he recovers, he goes to observe the other guys training. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Key Players
While the precise timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
