Boss Ruben Amorim argues that altering Man Utd's formation due to external pressure would have meant "the end" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his customary back three formation with wing-backs and opted to field an traditional four-man defense shielded by two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the final stages as his squad held on for a victory - securing only their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
While he once famously remarked that even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his approach, Amorim insists the option to play with alternative formations has consistently been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could only alter the tactics when his team were performing well enough - otherwise it would seem as if he was succumbing to external noise.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I don't have the players to play well in that formation, but it was the start of a process," he said.
"The goal was to establish an style. Today is a distinct juncture. We don't have a lot of personnel, and we must adapt, so they understand why we are switching things up.
"This isn't because of the demands of the media, or the fans.
"Whenever you talk about changing the system repeatedly, I cannot change because the squad will believe I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is the end for the manager.
"Once we are performing strongly in our system, then is the right time to adapt.
"This will help us become a more complete team because when our full complement of personnel are back, we are not planning to employ three defenders exclusively."
Squad Crisis Continue
With only two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to state his team have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a injury-ravaged roster, with multiple first-team players already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be urging his boss to let him to make a comeback following his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he has to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
However, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be heavily involved, as while most unavailable players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to carry on offering guidance.
"The guy is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has bad things at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad practicing. There are a many aspects you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he desires my job or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Injured Personnel
While the precise timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
