Boss Ruben Amorim argues that changing Man Utd's tactical system due to external scrutiny would have signaled "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his usual three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and chose to field an traditional four-man defense with two defensive midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this effectively functioned as a six-man defensive block in the closing minutes as his team clung on for a win - securing only their second shutout of the season.
Although he once memorably stated that even the Pope could compel him to change his system, Amorim insists the ability to play with varied setups has remained part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he clarifies he could solely implement the change when his team were doing well enough - lest it would appear as if he was bowing to external noise.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I lacked the squad to play well in a back three, but it was the start of a project," he stated.
"We were trying to forge an philosophy. Currently is a distinct juncture. We don't have a lot of personnel, and we have to be flexible, so they comprehend why we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the demands of the media, or the faithful.
"Whenever media talk about altering the formation repeatedly, I can't make a change because the players will think I'm changing because of you and I think that is a disaster for the manager.
"When we are getting results in our system, that becomes the right time to evolve.
"We will become a more complete team because when all the players are available, we are not going to employ a back three exclusively."
Injury Issues Persist
Having only two victories in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to state his side have been in good form.
He is, though, operating with a injury-ravaged squad, with seven first-team players already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pressing his boss to let him to make a comeback following his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already insisting he has to train," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Influence Remains
However, the 31-year-old will likely still be deeply engaged, as while most injured stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to carry on providing insight.
"The guy is a leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's always vocal. That's why he's the captain.
"There are negative aspects sometimes - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a lot of good things. After he recovers, he heads to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Key Players
While the specific timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
