Boss Ruben Amorim contends that switching Manchester United's tactical system due to media scrutiny would have been "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his trademark back three setup with wide defenders and instead use an traditional four-man defense shielded by two defensive midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this effectively transformed into a six-man defensive block in the final stages as his side dug in for a victory - securing only their second clean sheet of the season.
Although he once famously stated that even the highest authority could force him to tweak his approach, Amorim asserts the capacity to utilize varied setups has remained part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could only make the switch when his team were performing at an acceptable level - or else it would seem as if he was giving in to outside pressure.
"When I came here last season, I understood maybe I don't have the players to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the start of a project," he commented.
"Our aim was to build an style. Currently is a separate time. We lack a lot of players, and we must adapt, so they see why we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the demands of journalists, or the faithful.
"Whenever you criticize changing the formation constantly, I can't change because the players will think I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is a disaster for the manager.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, then is the moment to adapt.
"This will help us develop into a better squad because when all the personnel are available, we are not planning to employ a back three all the time."
Availability Challenges Loom Large
Having only two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to state his side have been playing well.
He is, though, managing with a severely stretched roster, with seven first-team stars already unavailable for the upcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will increase if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his manager to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already saying he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
The Captain's Influence Is Unwavering
However, the Portuguese star will probably still be heavily involved, as while most unavailable stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on providing insight.
"The guy is a leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has flaws at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of good things. Even after he recovers, he goes to observe the other guys training. There are a lot of things you don't see.
"I don't know if he wants my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Schedule for Key Players
Although the precise timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
