Boss Ruben Amorim contends that altering Man Utd's formation due to public scrutiny would have been "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his customary back three setup with wing-backs and opted to field an standard four-man defense with two central midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this ultimately became a back six in the final phase as his team held on for a crucial result - securing just their second clean sheet of the season.
While he once memorably said that not even the Pope could pressure him to change his approach, Amorim insists the ability to experiment with different formations has always been part of his plan.
However, he emphasizes he could only make the switch when his team were doing sufficiently well - or else it would seem as if he was bowing to external pressure.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized perhaps I didn't possess the personnel to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the start of a journey," he said.
"The goal was to establish an style. Today is a distinct time. We lack a lot of personnel, and we have to be flexible, so they comprehend why we are changing.
"It is not because of the influence of journalists, or the fans.
"When the press talk about changing the system constantly, I can't make a change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I believe that is a disaster for the coach.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our system, that is the moment to adapt.
"We are going to become a more complete squad because when our full complement of personnel are back, we are not going to employ a back three in every match."
Availability Crisis Loom Large
With just two victories in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to say his team have been playing well.
He is, however, working with a depleted squad, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolves.
That number will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly urging his boss to let him to make a comeback after his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already insisting he has to practice," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
The Captain's 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 monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue offering insight.
"He is a leader," he declared. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly speaking. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are negative aspects sometimes - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad practicing. There are a many things you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. He is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Players
While the specific date for the captain's return - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
