Boss Ruben Amorim argues that changing Manchester United's formation due to public noise would have been "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his trademark back three formation with wing-backs and chose to field an orthodox back four shielded by two central midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the final minutes as his squad held on for a victory - securing just their second-ever shutout of the season.
While he once notably remarked that even the highest authority could compel him to change his approach, Amorim insists the capacity to play with different formations has consistently been part of his strategy.
However, he emphasizes he could only alter the tactics when his team were doing sufficiently well - lest it would appear as if he was bowing to outside pressure.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I didn't possess the players to excel in that formation, but it was the beginning of a journey," he stated.
"We were trying to forge an style. Today is a separate moment. We don't have a lot of personnel, and we need adjust, so they comprehend the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the pressure of you guys, or the supporters.
"When the press discuss changing the system constantly, I cannot change because the players will think I'm changing because of external voices and I feel that is the downfall for the manager.
"Once we are getting results in our preferred setup, that is the opportunity to adapt.
"We will develop into a stronger squad because when all the personnel are back, we are not going to play with three defenders in every match."
Squad Crisis Persist
Having only two wins in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, managing with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven senior stars already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly pressing his manager to let him to return after his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Influence 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 observed keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to continue offering input.
"The guy is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is absent, 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 gesticulates - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the other guys training. There are a many 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 leader."
Return Schedule for Key Personnel
While the precise date for the captain's return - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
