Manager Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's formation due to public scrutiny would have meant "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his customary three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and opted to deploy an traditional back four with two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately became a six-man defensive block in the latter phase as his side dug in for a crucial result - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
While he once memorably stated that even the Pope could force him to change his approach, Amorim asserts the ability to play with different setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he stresses he could only alter the tactics when his team were faring sufficiently well - lest it would look as if he was giving in to outside pressure.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I recognized perhaps I didn't possess the personnel to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the start of a project," he said.
"The goal was to establish an identity. Now is a different time. We lack a full complement of players, and we must adjust, so they see the reason we are changing.
"This isn't because of the influence of the media, or the fans.
"Whenever you discuss altering the formation all the time, I can't change because the players will believe I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is the downfall for the manager.
"Once we are getting results in our system, that becomes the right time to evolve.
"We are going to grow into a better squad because when all the players return, we are not going to employ a back three exclusively."
Squad Challenges Loom Large
With only two victories in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to say his team have been playing well.
He is, though, working with a severely stretched roster, with seven first-team players already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will grow if midfielder Mason Mount fails to shake off the knock that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his boss to let him to make a comeback following 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. No way. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Role Remains
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on providing guidance.
"The guy is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always communicating. That's why he's the captain.
"He has flaws sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys training. There are a lot of things you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."
Return Schedule for Key Players
While the specific date for the captain's comeback - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
