Boss Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's tactical system due to public scrutiny would have signaled "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his usual back three formation with wing-backs and chose to use an orthodox four-man defense shielded by two central midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively functioned as 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 memorably said that even the Pope could force him to tweak his approach, Amorim maintains the option to play with different formations has remained part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only make the switch when his team were performing at an acceptable level - or else it would appear as if he was bowing to external noise.
"When I arrived here last season, I recognized maybe I don't have the players to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the beginning of a project," he said.
"The goal was to forge an style. Currently is a different time. We are missing a full complement of personnel, and we need be flexible, so they comprehend why we are making changes.
"It is not because of the demands of you guys, or the faithful.
"Whenever you discuss changing the formation repeatedly, I can't make a change because the squad will believe I'm changing because of external voices and I feel that is a disaster for the coach.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that becomes the opportunity to adapt.
"We are going to develop into a stronger squad because when our full complement of personnel are back, we are not intending to play with three defenders all the time."
Availability Crisis Loom Large
With only two victories in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to state his side have been in good form.
He is, however, operating with a depleted roster, with multiple senior players already unavailable for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolves.
That figure will rise if midfielder Mason Mount fails to shake off the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly urging his manager to let him to make a comeback after his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already insisting he has to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Influence Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will likely continue to be deeply engaged, as while most unavailable stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue offering input.
"The guy is a natural 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.
"There are flaws at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to watch the other guys training. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he desires my job or not, but he's a leader. He is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Personnel
While the exact timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
