Manager Ruben Amorim contends that altering Manchester United's tactical system due to media noise would have been "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his usual three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and instead deploy an traditional back four shielded by two central midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively functioned as a six-man defensive block in the closing phase as his team clung on for a win - securing only their second shutout of the campaign.
Although he once famously stated that not even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his approach, Amorim asserts the option to play with different setups has remained part of his long-term vision.
However, he clarifies he could only alter the tactics when his team were performing at an acceptable level - lest it would appear as if he was succumbing to outside pressure.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I don't have the squad to excel in that system, but it was the start of a project," he stated.
"The goal was to build an style. Today is a separate moment. We don't have a full complement of players, and we must be flexible, so they understand why we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the demands of you guys, or the fans.
"When you talk about altering the formation repeatedly, I cannot change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I feel that is a disaster for the manager.
"Only when we are playing well in our preferred setup, that is the right time to evolve.
"This will help us develop into a stronger side because when all the players are available, we are not going to play with three defenders in every match."
Squad Issues Loom Large
Having only two wins in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to claim his side have been in good form.
He is, however, working with a depleted squad, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That number will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be pressing his boss to let him to make a comeback following his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Leadership Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will almost certainly continue to be a prominent presence, as whereas most injured stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to carry on providing 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 communicating. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has bad things at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of good things. After he recovers, he goes to watch the rest of the squad training. 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 leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Injured Players
While the exact timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
