Boss Ruben Amorim says that altering Manchester United's formation due to external scrutiny would have signaled "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his usual back three setup with wide defenders and chose to use an traditional back four shielded by two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively functioned as a back six in the closing minutes as his side clung on for a victory - securing just their second shutout of the season.
Despite he once memorably stated that not even the highest authority could compel him to adjust his system, Amorim asserts the capacity to experiment with different setups has always been part of his strategy.
However, he emphasizes he could only implement the change when his team were doing well enough - lest it would appear as if he was succumbing to external criticism.
"When I arrived here last season, I realized maybe I lacked the squad to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the beginning of a project," he stated.
"We were trying to build an identity. Currently is a separate moment. We lack a full complement of players, and we have to adapt, so they see why we are changing.
"The change isn't because of the influence of journalists, or the fans.
"When the press criticize altering the formation constantly, I can't change because the players will believe I'm altering things because of you and I feel that is the downfall for the manager.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that becomes the opportunity to adapt.
"We are going to grow into a better team because when all the personnel are available, we are not going to use a back three all the time."
Injury Crisis Persist
With only two wins in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to say his team have been playing well.
He is, however, operating with a severely stretched squad, with multiple senior players already confirmed absent for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That total will grow if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, despite the fact he is understood to be pushing his manager to allow him to make a comeback after his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already insisting he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
Fernandes' Influence Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be heavily involved, as while most unavailable players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on offering insight.
"The guy is a leader," he declared. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are negative aspects at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he recovers, he goes to watch the other guys practicing. There are a lot of things you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."
Return Schedule for Injured Players
While the precise date for Fernandes' return - and that of other injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
