Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that altering Manchester United's formation due to public pressure would have meant "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his customary back three setup with wide defenders and opted to field an orthodox back four shielded by two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately functioned as a back six in the final phase as his squad held on for a victory - securing just their second shutout of the campaign.
Although he once memorably stated that even the highest authority could pressure him to change his approach, Amorim insists the ability to experiment with varied setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he clarifies he could only alter the tactics when his team were doing well enough - or else it would appear as if he was bowing to external criticism.
"At the time I arrived here last season, I realized maybe I lacked the players to perform effectively in that system, but it was the beginning of a process," he stated.
"The goal was to forge an style. Currently is a distinct juncture. We are missing a full complement of personnel, and we must adjust, so they understand the reason we are changing.
"The change isn't because of the influence of the media, or the fans.
"Whenever the press discuss changing the system all the time, I cannot make a change because the squad will believe I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is the end for the coach.
"Once we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that becomes the opportunity to evolve.
"We are going to grow into a stronger squad because when our full complement of personnel are available, we are not planning to use three defenders exclusively."
Injury Crisis Persist
With just two wins in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to claim his side have been playing well.
He is, however, operating with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven first-team players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be pressing his boss to let him to return following his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already telling me he has to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Role Endures
However, the Portuguese star will likely continue to be a prominent presence, as while most injured players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to carry on providing guidance.
"He is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That's why he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of good things. After he recovers, he heads to watch the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. He is a true captain."
Return Schedule for Injured Personnel
Although the exact timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
