Head coach Ruben Amorim says that switching Man Utd's formation due to external noise would have signaled "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his trademark back three formation with wing-backs and chose to use an standard back four shielded by two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately functioned as a back six in the latter phase as his side held on for a victory - securing just their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
Although he once famously remarked that not even the Pope could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim maintains the ability to experiment with varied setups has always been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could solely alter the tactics when his team were performing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would look as if he was giving in to external criticism.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I lacked the players to excel in that formation, but it was the commencement of a process," he commented.
"We were trying to forge an identity. Now is a distinct time. We lack a full complement of players, and we have to be flexible, so they comprehend why we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the pressure of you guys, or the faithful.
"When the press criticize changing the formation constantly, I cannot change because the players will think I'm altering things because of external voices and I believe that is the end for the manager.
"Only when we are getting results in our system, that is the moment to change.
"We will become a stronger squad because when our full complement of players return, we are not going to play with a back three in every match."
Injury Challenges Continue
Having just two victories in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to say his side have been playing well.
He is, though, managing with a depleted roster, with multiple first-team players already ruled out for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will increase if playmaker Mason Mount fails to shake off the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be pressing his boss to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
The Captain's Influence Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably still be a prominent presence, as while most unavailable players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue providing insight.
"He is a leader," he declared. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has flaws sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Injured Players
While the specific date for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
