Boss Ruben Amorim argues that altering Manchester United's formation due to public pressure would have been "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his usual three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and chose to field an orthodox back four with two holding midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the final phase as his team dug in for a victory - securing just their second-ever shutout of the season.
Despite he once notably said that even the highest authority could force him to tweak his system, Amorim asserts the option to experiment with varied formations has remained part of his strategy.
Yet, he emphasizes he could solely alter the tactics when his team were doing at an acceptable level - or else it would appear as if he was succumbing to external criticism.
"When I came here last season, I realized perhaps I don't have the personnel to perform effectively in that system, but it was the commencement of a journey," he said.
"The goal was to forge an philosophy. Today is a different moment. We are missing a full complement of players, and we must be flexible, so they see the reason we are making changes.
"It is not because of the pressure of journalists, or the faithful.
"When media talk about altering the formation all the time, I cannot make a change because the squad will believe I'm changing because of you and I believe that is the end for the manager.
"Only when we are playing well in our system, that becomes the right time to evolve.
"We are going to develop into a better team because when our full complement of players return, we are not planning to use a back three in every match."
Availability Challenges Loom Large
Having just two victories in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is right to claim his side have been in good form.
He is, however, managing with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be pushing his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already saying he needs to practice," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can write that."
Fernandes' Role Remains
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will probably still be a prominent presence, as while most injured players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to carry on providing insight.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's always communicating. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are flaws sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he recovers, he goes to observe the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of things you don't see.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Injured Players
Although the precise date for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
