Head coach Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's formation due to public noise would have meant "the end" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his customary three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and opted to deploy an traditional back four with two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively functioned as a six-man defensive block in the closing phase as his team clung on for a win - securing only their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Despite he once notably remarked that even the Pope could force him to adjust his system, Amorim insists the capacity to utilize varied formations has always been part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he emphasizes he could solely implement the change when his team were performing at an acceptable level - lest it would look as if he was bowing to external pressure.
"When I came here last season, I recognized maybe I didn't possess the squad to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the beginning of a project," he said.
"The goal was to build an philosophy. Today is a different juncture. We lack a full complement of players, and we must be flexible, so they understand the reason we are changing.
"It is not because of the influence of the media, or the supporters.
"Whenever the press talk about changing the system constantly, I can't change because the players will think I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is the end for the coach.
"Only when we are getting results in our system, that becomes the moment to evolve.
"We will develop into a more complete squad because when all the players are back, we are not intending to play with a back three in every match."
Injury Challenges Persist
Having only two wins in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to claim his side have been in good form.
He is, though, operating with a severely stretched roster, with seven first-team players already unavailable for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will rise if playmaker Mason Mount fails to shake off the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly urging his manager to let him to make a comeback following his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
The Captain's Role Remains
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly continue to be a prominent presence, as whereas most injured players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue providing input.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's constantly speaking. That's why he's the captain.
"There are negative aspects at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a many things you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Schedule for Injured Personnel
Although the precise timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
