Boss Ruben Amorim contends that switching Man Utd's formation due to external scrutiny would have been "the end" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his customary back three formation with wing-backs and opted to use an traditional four-man defense with two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a back six in the latter phase as his squad held on for a crucial result - securing just their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Although he once famously remarked that not even the highest authority could compel him to adjust his approach, Amorim maintains the capacity to utilize alternative setups has always been part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he stresses he could solely alter the tactics when his team were performing at an acceptable level - lest it would appear as if he was giving in to external pressure.
"When I arrived here last season, I recognized perhaps I don't have the personnel to excel in a back three, but it was the start of a journey," he stated.
"We were trying to establish an style. Today is a different moment. We are missing a full complement of personnel, and we must adjust, so they understand why we are changing.
"It is not because of the pressure of you guys, or the faithful.
"When the press talk about changing the system all the time, I can't make a change because the squad will believe I'm changing because of you and I feel that is a disaster for the manager.
"Only when we are playing well in our system, that becomes the opportunity to change.
"We are going to become a better side because when our full complement of personnel are available, we are not intending to use a back three exclusively."
Availability Issues Continue
Having just two victories in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to say his side have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, working with a severely stretched roster, with seven first-team stars already ruled out for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his manager to let him to make a comeback after his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he has to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Influence Remains
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be a prominent presence, as while most unavailable players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to carry on providing input.
"He is a leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my job or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Injured Players
Although the precise timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
