Boss Ruben Amorim contends that changing Manchester United's formation due to public scrutiny would have meant "the end" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his trademark three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and opted to use an traditional four-man defense with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately functioned as a back six in the final minutes as his team clung on for a win - securing just their second shutout of the season.
Although he once famously stated that even the Pope could pressure him to tweak his system, Amorim insists the ability to experiment with varied setups has always been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could solely implement the change when his team were performing sufficiently well - otherwise it would look as if he was giving in to outside criticism.
"When I came here last season, I recognized perhaps I didn't possess the squad to play well in a back three, but it was the start of a project," he stated.
"The goal was to forge an style. Today is a different time. We don't have a full complement of players, and we must adjust, so they understand the reason we are making changes.
"It is not because of the influence of you guys, or the fans.
"When the press discuss changing the system all the time, I cannot make a change because the squad will believe I'm altering things because of you and I think that is a disaster for the manager.
"When we are playing well in our system, that is the opportunity to adapt.
"This will help us develop into a more complete team because when all the personnel are back, we are not planning to play with three defenders all the time."
Injury Challenges Loom Large
Having just two victories in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is right to claim his team have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a injury-ravaged roster, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be urging his boss to allow him to return after his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already saying he needs to train," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
Fernandes' Influence Endures
However, the Portuguese star will likely still be heavily involved, as whereas most unavailable players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to carry on providing insight.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's always speaking. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are flaws at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the other guys training. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Injured Players
While the precise timeline for the captain's return - and that of other injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
