Boss Ruben Amorim contends that switching Manchester United's tactical system due to external pressure would have been "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his usual three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and opted to use an traditional four-man defense shielded by two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately became a six-man defensive block in the latter phase as his squad dug in for a victory - securing only their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Although he once notably said that not even the highest authority could compel him to tweak his system, Amorim asserts the ability to play with alternative formations has always been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could only alter the tactics when his team were performing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would seem as if he was succumbing to external noise.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I don't have the squad to excel in that system, but it was the commencement of a process," he stated.
"The goal was to forge an style. Today is a separate moment. We are missing a lot of players, and we have to adapt, so they see why we are making changes.
"It is not because of the demands of journalists, or the faithful.
"When the press talk about changing the system all the time, I cannot change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I believe that is a disaster for the coach.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our system, then is the right time to evolve.
"We are going to grow into a more complete side because when our full complement of personnel return, we are not intending to play with a back three in every match."
Squad Crisis Loom Large
Having just two victories in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is right to claim his team have been in good form.
He is, however, managing with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven first-team players already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pushing his manager to allow him to make a comeback after his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already insisting he needs to practice," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Leadership Remains
However, the Portuguese star will probably still be a prominent presence, as whereas most injured players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue offering input.
"He is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's always vocal. That's why he's the skipper.
"He has flaws sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he finishes treatment, he goes to observe 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 leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Injured Players
While the precise timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
