Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that altering Man Utd's formation due to external scrutiny would have signaled "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his trademark three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and chose to field an orthodox four-man defense shielded by two holding midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this at times transformed into a six-man defensive block in the closing stages as his team held on for a win - securing only their second shutout of the season.
While he once famously stated that even the highest authority could compel him to change his approach, Amorim asserts the option to play with varied setups has remained part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could solely implement the change when his team were doing sufficiently well - or else it would appear as if he was bowing to outside pressure.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I didn't possess the squad to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the beginning of a process," he said.
"We were trying to forge an style. Today is a different moment. We don't have a full complement of personnel, and we need adjust, so they comprehend why we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the demands of journalists, or the fans.
"When the press discuss altering the system all the time, I can't make a change because the players will think I'm altering things because of you and I feel that is the downfall for the manager.
"When we are playing well in our preferred setup, that is the right time to change.
"This will help us grow into a more complete squad because when our full complement of personnel are back, we are not planning to play with a back three all the time."
Injury Issues Persist
Having just two wins in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is correct to claim his team have been in good form.
He is, however, working with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior stars already ruled out for the upcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will increase if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly urging his boss to let him to return after his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already saying he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly continue to be deeply engaged, as while most unavailable players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to continue offering insight.
"He is a leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are bad things at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he goes to watch the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Key Players
Although the precise timeline for the captain's return - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
