Head coach Ruben Amorim says that switching Man Utd's tactical system due to public pressure would have meant "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his usual back three setup with wide defenders and instead field an standard four-man defense shielded by two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times became a back six in the closing phase as his side held on for a victory - securing only their second clean sheet of the campaign.
While he once memorably said that even the Pope could compel him to adjust his system, Amorim maintains the capacity to experiment with varied setups has always been part of his strategy.
Yet, he clarifies he could solely make the switch when his team were doing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would appear as if he was succumbing to external noise.
"At the time I arrived here last season, I realized maybe I don't have the players to perform effectively in that system, but it was the commencement of a process," he stated.
"We were trying to build an identity. Now is a separate moment. We lack a lot of personnel, and we must adapt, so they comprehend why we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the pressure of journalists, or the faithful.
"Whenever media talk about changing the system all the time, I can't make a change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is the end for the manager.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our system, then is the moment to evolve.
"This will help us become a stronger side because when our full complement of personnel are back, we are not planning to use a back three exclusively."
Injury Crisis Continue
Having only two wins in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is right to state his team have been playing well.
He is, though, working with a severely stretched roster, with seven first-team players already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That number will rise if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly urging his boss to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."
The Captain's Role Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue providing input.
"The guy is a leader," he declared. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are bad things sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of good things. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the other guys training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Schedule for Key Players
While the exact date for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow injured stars 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 international competition.
