Head coach Ruben Amorim says that altering Manchester United's formation due to public pressure would have signaled "the end" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his customary back three setup with wide defenders and chose to field an standard back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times functioned as a six-man defensive block in the final phase as his side held on for a victory - securing only their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Despite he once famously remarked that not even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his approach, Amorim asserts the ability to utilize varied formations has always been part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he clarifies he could only alter the tactics when his team were doing well enough - otherwise it would seem as if he was succumbing to outside criticism.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I don't have the squad to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the start of a process," he said.
"We were trying to build an identity. Today is a different time. We are missing a lot of players, and we need adapt, so they understand the reason we are changing.
"This isn't because of the demands of you guys, or the fans.
"When the press criticize altering the system repeatedly, I can't make a change because the squad will believe I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is the downfall for the manager.
"Only when we are getting results in our system, then is the moment to adapt.
"We are going to become a better team because when our full complement of personnel are back, we are not planning to play with a back three exclusively."
Injury Challenges Loom Large
Having just two victories in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to state his team have been in good form.
He is, however, working with a severely stretched roster, with seven first-team stars already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That total will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly urging his manager to let him to make a comeback after his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
The Captain's Leadership Remains
However, the Portuguese star will almost certainly continue to be a prominent presence, as whereas most injured stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue providing guidance.
"The guy is a natural leader," he declared. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has bad things at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of good things. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the other guys training. 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 true captain."
Return Timeline for Injured Players
While the precise date for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
