Boss Ruben Amorim says that altering Man Utd's formation due to media pressure would have signaled "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his trademark three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and opted to field an orthodox four-man defense with two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively became a six-man defensive block in the latter stages as his team clung on for a crucial result - securing just their second shutout of the campaign.
While he once notably said that even the highest authority could compel him to change his approach, Amorim maintains the capacity to utilize alternative formations has remained part of his strategy.
Yet, he emphasizes he could solely implement the change when his team were faring sufficiently well - lest it would look as if he was giving in to external pressure.
"When I arrived here last season, I realized maybe I lacked the squad to play well in that system, but it was the beginning of a journey," he commented.
"We were trying to build an style. Currently is a different time. We are missing a full complement of personnel, and we have to adjust, so they understand the reason we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the demands of journalists, or the faithful.
"When you criticize altering the formation constantly, I cannot make a change because the players will understand I'm altering things because of you and I feel that is the downfall for the coach.
"Only when we are getting results in our preferred setup, that is the moment to adapt.
"We will grow into a better team because when all the players are back, we are not intending to use a back three exclusively."
Squad Crisis Continue
Having only two wins in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to say his side have been in good form.
He is, however, operating with a depleted roster, with seven first-team stars already confirmed absent for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will increase if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that forced 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 pushing his manager to let him to return after his muscle injury.
"Fernandes is already saying he has to practice," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will probably still be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to continue providing input.
"He is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly communicating. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he recovers, he goes to observe the other guys training. There are a many things you don't see.
"I don't know if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Personnel
While the exact timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of other injured 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 duty.
