Boss Ruben Amorim says that altering Man Utd's tactical system due to external pressure would have meant "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his usual back three formation with wide defenders and opted to field an standard four-man defense with two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times transformed into a six-man defensive block in the closing phase as his team held on for a victory - securing only their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
While he once notably remarked that not even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim asserts the option to play with varied setups has consistently been part of his plan.
However, he stresses he could solely make the switch when his team were doing at an acceptable level - or else it would appear as if he was giving in to external criticism.
"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I didn't possess the squad to play well in a back three, but it was the beginning of a project," he said.
"The goal was to forge an identity. Today is a distinct juncture. We are missing a lot of players, and we must adapt, so they understand why we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the supporters.
"When the press discuss changing the system constantly, I cannot change because the squad will believe I'm altering things because of external voices and I believe that is the end for the manager.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, then is the right time to adapt.
"We are going to become a stronger team because when all the players are back, we are not intending to use three defenders in every match."
Availability Crisis Persist
Having only two victories in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is right to state his team have been in good form.
He is, however, managing with a injury-ravaged roster, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will rise if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pressing his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as whereas most unavailable stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to continue providing insight.
"The guy is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's always speaking. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are flaws sometimes - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of good things. After he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the other guys training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Key Personnel
While the specific date for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unknown, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
