Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that switching Manchester United's tactical system due to external noise would have been "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his usual three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and opted to deploy an traditional four-man defense shielded by two defensive midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this ultimately transformed into a back six in the final phase as his squad held on for a victory - securing just their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
Despite he once notably said that not even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim asserts the capacity to play with varied setups has always been part of his strategy.
Yet, he stresses he could only implement the change when his team were doing well enough - otherwise it would seem as if he was giving in to outside criticism.
"When I came here last season, I understood maybe I lacked the players to excel in a back three, but it was the start of a project," he commented.
"Our aim was to forge an philosophy. Now is a different time. We lack a full complement of players, and we need be flexible, so they comprehend why we are changing.
"This isn't because of the influence of journalists, or the faithful.
"Whenever media criticize changing the system all the time, I cannot change because the squad will think I'm changing because of you and I believe that is the downfall for the coach.
"Only when we are playing well in our system, then is the right time to adapt.
"This will help us develop into a more complete team because when all the players return, we are not planning to play with a back three exclusively."
Squad Challenges Continue
Having only two victories in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his side have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, working with a depleted squad, with multiple senior players already ruled out for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will grow if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be pushing his boss to let him to make a comeback following his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already insisting he needs to practice," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
The Captain's Leadership Remains
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as whereas most unavailable players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to continue offering guidance.
"He is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has negative aspects at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the other guys practicing. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Injured Players
While the exact date for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
