Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that changing Man Utd's tactical system due to public noise would have meant "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his trademark three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and chose to deploy an orthodox back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this ultimately functioned as a back six in the latter phase as his squad clung on for a victory - securing just their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Despite he once memorably said that even the highest authority could force him to tweak his approach, Amorim maintains the option to utilize different setups has always been part of his long-term vision.
However, he emphasizes he could only implement the change when his team were doing well enough - otherwise it would appear as if he was bowing to external criticism.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I recognized perhaps I didn't possess the personnel to play well in that system, but it was the start of a journey," he commented.
"We were trying to build an style. Now is a distinct juncture. We don't have a full complement of players, and we need be flexible, so they understand the reason we are changing.
"It is not because of the demands of journalists, or the fans.
"When media talk about altering the formation repeatedly, I cannot make a change because the squad will think I'm changing because of external voices and I feel that is a disaster for the manager.
"Only when we are getting results in our system, that becomes the moment to evolve.
"This will help us develop into a more complete squad because when our full complement of personnel are available, we are not planning to play with three defenders exclusively."
Injury Challenges Persist
Having just two victories in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to state his side have been in good form.
He is, however, working with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven senior stars already ruled out for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that forced his withdrawal 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 urging his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his muscle injury.
"Fernandes is already insisting he has to practice," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Influence Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will probably still be a prominent presence, as while most unavailable players watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to continue providing insight.
"The guy is a leader," he declared. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has flaws at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Schedule for Injured Personnel
While the precise timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
