Manager Ruben Amorim says that altering Man Utd's formation due to media scrutiny would have signaled "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his trademark back three formation with wide defenders and chose to field an traditional back four shielded by two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times transformed into a back six in the latter phase as his team held on for a victory - securing just their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
Although he once notably said that even the Pope could compel him to tweak his approach, Amorim asserts the ability to play with different formations has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
However, he emphasizes he could only implement the change when his team were doing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would appear as if he was succumbing to outside pressure.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I realized perhaps I don't have the personnel to excel in that formation, but it was the commencement of a process," he said.
"The goal was to establish an style. Today is a different moment. We lack a full complement of personnel, and we need adjust, so they comprehend why we are changing.
"This isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the supporters.
"Whenever you talk about changing the system constantly, I cannot change because the players will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is the end for the coach.
"Only when we are playing well in our system, that is the right time to adapt.
"This will help us develop into a more complete team because when our full complement of personnel are available, we are not planning to play with a back three all the time."
Injury Challenges Loom Large
Having only two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, however, working with a severely stretched squad, with multiple first-team players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will rise if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly pressing his manager to let him to return following his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already saying he has to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Influence Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably still be heavily involved, as whereas most unavailable stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue providing guidance.
"He is a leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has flaws sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the other guys practicing. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."
Return Schedule for Injured Personnel
While the precise timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
