Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that changing Man Utd's formation due to public scrutiny would have meant "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his customary three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and chose to deploy an orthodox back four with two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately became a six-man defensive block in the latter minutes as his squad held on for a victory - securing just their second shutout of the season.
Although he once memorably stated that even the Pope could force him to change his system, Amorim insists the option to utilize alternative setups has always been part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he clarifies he could solely make the switch when his team were doing well enough - or else it would seem as if he was giving in to external criticism.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I lacked the squad to play well in that formation, but it was the beginning of a journey," he commented.
"Our aim was to build an identity. Today is a distinct juncture. We don't have a full complement of players, and we have to be flexible, so they see the reason we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the demands of the media, or the fans.
"When media discuss altering the formation constantly, I can't change because the players will understand I'm altering things because of you and I feel that is a disaster for the manager.
"When we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, then is the opportunity to adapt.
"This will help us grow into a stronger side because when all the personnel return, we are not going to play with a back three all the time."
Injury Issues Persist
Having only two victories in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to say his team have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, working with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior stars already confirmed absent for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolves.
That total will increase if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that led to his withdrawal 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 reportedly pressing his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be heavily involved, as while most injured stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to carry on providing guidance.
"He is a leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly communicating. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the rest of the squad practicing. 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 true captain."
Return Timeline for Injured Personnel
While the specific date for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
