Boss Ruben Amorim argues that switching Manchester United's formation due to external pressure would have signaled "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his usual three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and instead use an orthodox back four shielded by two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately functioned as a back six in the final stages as his team dug in for a victory - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once notably stated that not even the Pope could force him to adjust his system, Amorim maintains the capacity to experiment with varied setups has always been part of his strategy.
Yet, he emphasizes he could only implement the change when his team were performing at an acceptable level - lest it would appear as if he was giving in to outside noise.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I didn't possess the squad to play well in a back three, but it was the beginning of a journey," he said.
"Our aim was to forge an philosophy. Now is a different moment. We don't have a full complement of personnel, and we have to be flexible, so they comprehend the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the influence of journalists, or the supporters.
"When you talk about changing the formation repeatedly, I can't make a change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is a disaster for the manager.
"When we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, then is the right time to adapt.
"We will become a more complete team because when our full complement of players are available, we are not intending to play with a back three all the time."
Injury Challenges Loom Large
With just two wins in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, however, operating with a injury-ravaged roster, with multiple senior players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolves.
That figure will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly urging his boss to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."
The Captain's Influence Remains
However, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be deeply engaged, as while most injured stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to carry on providing insight.
"He is a leader," he stated. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly speaking. 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. Even after he recovers, he heads to watch the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Injured Personnel
Although the specific timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
