Manager Ruben Amorim contends that changing Manchester United's tactical system due to external noise would have signaled "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his usual back three setup with wide defenders and instead use an orthodox back four with two central midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this at times became a back six in the latter stages as his squad held on for a crucial result - securing just their second clean sheet of the campaign.
While he once notably remarked that even the Pope could force him to change his system, Amorim maintains the capacity to utilize different formations has consistently been part of his strategy.
Yet, he clarifies he could only alter the tactics when his team were faring sufficiently well - lest it would look as if he was bowing to outside noise.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I lacked the squad to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the commencement of a journey," he commented.
"We were trying to build an identity. Now is a different moment. We don't have a full complement of players, and we need adjust, so they see the reason we are making changes.
"It is not because of the pressure of the media, or the supporters.
"Whenever you criticize changing the system constantly, I cannot make a change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of external voices and I believe that is the downfall for the manager.
"When we are playing well in our preferred setup, that is the moment to change.
"We are going to develop into a better team because when our full complement of players return, we are not intending to use a back three exclusively."
Availability Crisis Persist
With just two victories in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a depleted roster, with seven first-team stars already ruled out for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolves.
That number will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be pushing his manager to let him to return after his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already insisting he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can write that."
Fernandes' Influence Endures
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will likely still be a prominent presence, as while most injured players watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on providing insight.
"The guy is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are negative aspects at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he recovers, he goes to watch the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Key Personnel
Although the exact timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
