Manager Ruben Amorim says that altering Manchester United's tactical system due to media noise would have signaled "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his usual three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and chose to deploy 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 team clung on for a victory - securing just their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Although he once notably said that even the Pope could force him to tweak his system, Amorim insists the ability to play with varied setups has remained part of his long-term vision.
However, he stresses he could solely implement the change when his team were faring sufficiently well - lest it would appear as if he was bowing to external pressure.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I don't have the squad to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the beginning of a journey," he commented.
"We were trying to establish an philosophy. Today is a different moment. We don't have a full complement of players, and we need be flexible, so they see why we are switching things up.
"This isn't because of the influence of journalists, or the fans.
"Whenever media criticize altering the formation constantly, I can't change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of you and I believe that is a disaster for the manager.
"Only when we are getting results in our preferred setup, that is the opportunity to evolve.
"We are going to develop into a stronger side because when our full complement of players return, we are not going to play with a back three all the time."
Squad Issues Persist
Having only two victories in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to state his side have been in good form.
He is, though, working with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior stars already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will grow if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly urging his manager to allow him to return after his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already saying he has to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Influence Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as whereas most unavailable stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to continue offering guidance.
"The guy is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's always communicating. That's why he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects sometimes - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Key Personnel
While the precise timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
