Head coach Ruben Amorim says that altering Manchester United's formation due to media pressure would have been "the end" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his usual three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and instead field an traditional four-man defense shielded by two defensive midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this ultimately transformed into a back six in the latter stages as his side held on for a win - securing only their second clean sheet of the season.
Although he once memorably remarked that even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the capacity to utilize different formations has always been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could solely implement the change when his team were performing sufficiently well - otherwise it would seem as if he was giving in to outside noise.
"At the time I came here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I lacked the squad to excel in that formation, but it was the beginning of a process," he said.
"The goal was to build an identity. Currently is a separate moment. We don't have a lot of players, and we need adapt, so they see the reason we are changing.
"It is not because of the demands of you guys, or the supporters.
"When media criticize changing the formation constantly, I cannot make a change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I believe that is a disaster for the coach.
"Once we are playing well in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to adapt.
"We are going to develop into a more complete team because when our full complement of players return, we are not planning to employ a back three all the time."
Availability Issues Continue
With only two victories in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to say his side have been in good form.
He is, however, managing with a severely stretched roster, with multiple first-team stars already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will rise if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be pressing his boss to allow him to return after his muscle injury.
"Bruno is already saying he has to train," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly continue to be heavily involved, as while most injured stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue offering insight.
"The guy is a leader," he declared. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's always vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has flaws sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of good things. Even after he recovers, he heads to watch the other guys practicing. There are a many things you don't see.
"I don't know if he wants my job or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Key Players
While the precise date for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured stars 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 continental competition.
