Head coach Ruben Amorim says that altering Man Utd's formation due to public noise would have signaled "the end" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his customary three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and opted to deploy an traditional four-man defense shielded by two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately became a back six in the latter stages as his squad dug in for a victory - securing only their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Although he once famously remarked that even the Pope could compel him to adjust his system, Amorim asserts the capacity to utilize alternative formations has consistently been part of his plan.
However, he emphasizes he could only alter the tactics when his team were faring sufficiently well - lest it would appear as if he was giving in to external pressure.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I don't have the squad to play well in that system, but it was the beginning of a project," he said.
"The goal was to forge an philosophy. Now is a distinct juncture. We don't have a lot of players, and we must be flexible, so they see why we are changing.
"It is not because of the pressure of the media, or the faithful.
"Whenever the press talk about changing the system all the time, I cannot change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of you and I think that is the end for the manager.
"Only when we are getting results in our preferred setup, that is the moment to change.
"We will develop into a better squad because when our full complement of personnel are available, we are not going to employ a back three in every match."
Injury Issues Persist
Having just two victories in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to state his team have been in good form.
He is, though, operating with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior stars already confirmed absent for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolves.
That figure will increase if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be urging his boss to allow him to return after his muscle injury.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
The Captain's Influence Is Unwavering
However, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as while most injured stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to continue offering insight.
"He is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's always communicating. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are negative aspects at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Key Players
While the specific timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
