Boss Ruben Amorim says that altering Man Utd's formation due to external noise would have meant "the end" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his trademark back three setup with wide defenders and instead deploy an standard four-man defense with two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the closing minutes as his squad dug in for a victory - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
Despite he once famously said that not even the highest authority could force him to change his system, Amorim asserts the ability to experiment with different setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could only alter the tactics when his team were faring at an acceptable level - otherwise it would seem as if he was bowing to outside criticism.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I don't have the players to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the commencement of a process," he commented.
"The goal was to build an identity. Currently is a distinct juncture. We are missing a full complement of players, and we must adjust, so they comprehend why we are changing.
"It is not because of the influence of you guys, or the faithful.
"Whenever the press discuss altering the system all the time, I can't change because the squad will believe I'm altering things because of you and I think that is the end for the manager.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that is the moment to adapt.
"We are going to grow into a better squad because when all the players are available, we are not planning to use a back three in every match."
Squad Issues Continue
With just two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to claim his team have been in good form.
He is, however, managing with a severely stretched roster, with seven senior stars already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will grow if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be pushing his boss to let him to return following his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already saying he has to train," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
The Captain's Leadership Remains
However, the Portuguese star will likely continue to be a prominent presence, as whereas most injured stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to carry on providing guidance.
"The guy is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's always communicating. That's why he's the captain.
"There are flaws sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of strengths. After he recovers, he goes to observe the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Key Players
Although the specific timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
