Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that changing Man Utd's formation due to public noise would have been "the end" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his trademark three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and opted to field an orthodox back four shielded by two central midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the latter minutes as his team clung on for a win - securing only their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Although he once famously remarked that even the Pope could force him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the ability to utilize alternative formations has consistently been part of his plan.
Yet, he stresses he could solely make the switch when his team were faring sufficiently well - otherwise it would seem as if he was succumbing to external criticism.
"At the time I came here last season, I understood maybe I don't have the personnel to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the start of a journey," he commented.
"Our aim was to forge an philosophy. Now is a separate juncture. We don't have a full complement of players, and we must adapt, so they see the reason we are changing.
"This isn't because of the pressure of journalists, or the fans.
"When the press criticize altering the formation repeatedly, I can't make a change because the players will think I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is the downfall for the coach.
"Once we are playing well in our preferred setup, that becomes the moment to evolve.
"We will grow into a more complete side because when all the players are available, we are not intending to use three defenders in every match."
Squad Issues Loom Large
Having just two wins in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to state his side have been in good form.
He is, however, managing with a injury-ravaged squad, with multiple senior players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be urging his manager to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already insisting he has to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. You can write that."
Fernandes' Role Remains
However, the Portuguese star will probably continue to be deeply engaged, as whereas 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 leader to carry on offering input.
"The guy is a natural leader," he stated. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That's why he's the captain.
"There are bad things sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even after he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my job or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Return Schedule for Key Players
While the specific timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
