Head coach Ruben Amorim says that changing Man Utd's formation due to external scrutiny would have meant "the end" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his customary three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and opted to field an orthodox four-man defense shielded by two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the final minutes as his team clung on for a win - securing only their second shutout of the campaign.
Despite he once famously said that even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the capacity to play with varied setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
However, he stresses he could only implement the change when his team were performing at an acceptable level - lest it would seem as if he was giving in to external noise.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I lacked the players to excel in that system, but it was the commencement of a journey," he commented.
"The goal was to build an identity. Currently is a separate juncture. We don't have a lot of players, and we have to be flexible, so they see why we are switching things up.
"This isn't because of the influence of you guys, or the faithful.
"Whenever the press talk about altering the system repeatedly, I cannot make a change because the players will understand I'm altering things because of you and I think that is the downfall for the coach.
"Only when we are getting results in our preferred setup, that is the opportunity to change.
"This will help us develop into a better team because when our full complement of players return, we are not planning to play with three defenders exclusively."
Squad Issues Continue
With just two victories in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is right to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, however, working with a injury-ravaged squad, with seven senior players already unavailable for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolves.
That total will rise if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be pressing his boss to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already insisting he has to practice," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
The Captain's Role Endures
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly continue to be heavily involved, as whereas most injured players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to carry on providing input.
"He is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has negative aspects at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the other guys training. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Key Personnel
While the exact timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
