Manager Ruben Amorim contends that altering Manchester United's formation due to external pressure would have signaled "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his trademark three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and opted to deploy an orthodox four-man defense shielded by two holding midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this ultimately became a back six in the latter phase as his side clung on for a win - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once memorably stated that not even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim insists the option to experiment with different setups has remained part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only make the switch when his team were faring at an acceptable level - or else it would appear as if he was succumbing to outside criticism.
"When I came here last season, I realized perhaps I lacked the personnel to excel in that formation, but it was the commencement of a process," he stated.
"Our aim was to establish an philosophy. Today is a distinct moment. We don't have a full complement of personnel, and we need adjust, so they comprehend the reason we are making changes.
"It is not because of the influence of journalists, or the faithful.
"When the press talk about changing the system repeatedly, I can't make a change because the players will think I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is a disaster for the manager.
"When we are performing strongly in our system, then is the right time to evolve.
"This will help us develop into a stronger squad because when our full complement of players return, we are not planning to employ three defenders exclusively."
Squad Crisis Loom Large
With just two victories in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, managing with a injury-ravaged squad, with seven senior players already unavailable for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will rise if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his manager to let him to make a comeback following his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already insisting he has to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Leadership Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will likely continue to be heavily involved, as while most unavailable stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to carry on offering guidance.
"The guy is a natural leader," he affirmed. "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.
"He has flaws at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of strengths. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the other guys training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Key Players
While the precise timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
