Boss Ruben Amorim says that altering Manchester United's formation due to public pressure would have been "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his trademark back three setup with wide defenders and chose to field an orthodox four-man defense shielded by two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a back six in the latter stages as his side clung on for a win - securing only their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
Despite he once famously remarked that not even the highest authority could force him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the option to play with alternative formations has remained part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could only implement the change when his team were performing well enough - or else it would seem as if he was giving in to external pressure.
"At the time I came here last season, I understood perhaps I don't have the personnel to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the start of a journey," he said.
"Our aim was to build an style. Currently is a separate moment. We don't have a lot of players, and we must be flexible, so they understand why we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the demands of the media, or the supporters.
"Whenever you talk about altering the system constantly, I can't change because the squad will believe I'm changing because of external voices and I believe that is a disaster for the coach.
"Once we are getting results in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to adapt.
"This will help us become a better squad because when all the personnel return, we are not planning to employ a back three exclusively."
Availability Issues Persist
Having only two victories in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a depleted roster, with multiple first-team stars already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly pressing his manager to let him to return following his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already insisting he needs to practice," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Leadership Endures
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be a prominent presence, as whereas 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 is sure his leader to carry on offering insight.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are negative aspects at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the other guys training. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my job or not, but he's a leader. He is a true captain."
Return Schedule for Injured Players
Although the exact date for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow unavailable stars 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 continental duty.
