Boss Ruben Amorim says that altering Man Utd's formation due to external scrutiny would have signaled "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his usual back three setup with wide defenders and instead deploy an standard back four with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively became a six-man defensive block in the final minutes as his team dug in for a victory - securing only their second clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once notably said that even the highest authority could force him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the ability to utilize varied formations has consistently been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he clarifies he could solely alter the tactics when his team were faring sufficiently well - otherwise it would appear as if he was giving in to outside noise.
"At the time I arrived here last season, I realized perhaps I don't have the squad to excel in that formation, but it was the beginning of a process," he stated.
"Our aim was to establish an style. Currently is a separate moment. We don't have a lot of personnel, and we have to adapt, so they comprehend the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the influence of the media, or the faithful.
"Whenever you criticize changing the formation constantly, I cannot change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is the downfall for the manager.
"When we are getting results in our preferred setup, that is the moment to adapt.
"We will become a better team because when our full complement of personnel are back, we are not planning to play with a back three in every match."
Squad Challenges Continue
With just two wins in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to claim his side have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, working with a severely stretched squad, with seven senior stars already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That figure will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is understood to be pushing his manager to allow him to return after his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
The Captain's Role Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be heavily involved, as whereas most injured stars 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 expects his leader to continue providing insight.
"The guy is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has bad things sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the other guys training. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. He is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Key Personnel
While the specific timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.