Head coach Ruben Amorim says that changing Man Utd's tactical system due to public scrutiny would have signaled "the end" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his customary back three formation with wide defenders and chose to field an standard back four shielded by two central midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a back six in the final stages as his side dug in for a victory - securing just their second-ever shutout of the season.
While he once notably said that even the Pope could pressure him to adjust his approach, Amorim insists the capacity to experiment with varied formations has consistently been part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could only alter the tactics when his team were performing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would look as if he was succumbing to external noise.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I didn't possess the players to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the start of a project," he stated.
"Our aim was to build an style. Now is a different time. We don't have a full complement of players, and we must adjust, so they understand why we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the influence of you guys, or the supporters.
"Whenever media discuss changing the formation repeatedly, I can't make a change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of external voices and I believe that is the downfall for the manager.
"When we are getting results in our system, that becomes the right time to evolve.
"This will help us become a stronger side because when all the personnel are back, we are not going to use a back three all the time."
Availability Crisis Persist
Having only two wins in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is correct to state his team have been playing well.
He is, though, managing with a severely stretched roster, with seven senior players already unavailable for the upcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly pressing his manager to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already saying he has to train," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Influence Endures
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be deeply engaged, as while most injured players watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to continue providing input.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are bad things sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of strengths. After he recovers, he goes to watch the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my job or not, but he's a leader. He is a leader."
Return Schedule for Injured Personnel
Although the specific date for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players 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 competition.
