Boss Ruben Amorim argues that changing Man Utd's tactical system due to public scrutiny would have been "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his customary back three setup with wide defenders and instead use an orthodox four-man defense with two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively became a six-man defensive block in the closing minutes as his squad dug in for a crucial result - securing just their second shutout of the campaign.
Despite he once notably stated that even the Pope could pressure him to change his approach, Amorim insists the capacity to utilize alternative formations has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he stresses he could solely alter the tactics when his team were faring at an acceptable level - otherwise it would seem as if he was giving in to external criticism.
"When I came here last season, I understood maybe I didn't possess the players to excel in that system, but it was the commencement of a process," he said.
"The goal was to establish an style. Currently is a separate time. We lack a lot of players, and we must adapt, so they see the reason we are changing.
"This isn't because of the influence of journalists, or the faithful.
"Whenever media talk about changing the formation repeatedly, I cannot change because the players will believe I'm altering things because of external voices and I feel that is a disaster for the coach.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that becomes the opportunity to evolve.
"This will help us grow into a better squad because when our full complement of players are back, we are not planning to play with three defenders in every match."
Availability Challenges Loom Large
Having just two wins in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is correct to say his side have been playing well.
He is, though, working with a depleted squad, with multiple first-team stars already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will increase if midfielder Mason Mount fails to shake off the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be pushing his boss to allow him to return following his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
Fernandes' Role Is Unwavering
However, the 31-year-old will probably still be a prominent presence, as whereas most injured players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue providing guidance.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's always speaking. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are flaws sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Schedule for Key Personnel
Although the precise timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
