Manager Ruben Amorim argues that altering Man Utd's formation due to media noise would have meant "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his usual back three setup with wide defenders and chose to deploy an orthodox back four with two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively became a six-man defensive block in the closing phase as his team held on for a victory - securing just their second-ever shutout of the season.
Despite he once famously said that not even the highest authority could compel him to tweak his approach, Amorim insists the ability to experiment with alternative setups has remained part of his plan.
However, he stresses he could only alter the tactics when his team were doing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would look as if he was bowing to external criticism.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I lacked the players to play well in a back three, but it was the start of a project," he stated.
"Our aim was to establish an style. Currently is a different moment. We don't have a lot of players, and we need be flexible, so they understand the reason we are changing.
"It is not because of the demands of the media, or the supporters.
"Whenever media criticize changing the system all the time, I can't make a change because the players will understand I'm changing because of you and I feel that is the downfall for the manager.
"Once we are getting results in our system, then is the right time to change.
"We will develop into a more complete side because when all the personnel are available, we are not planning to employ a back three exclusively."
Squad Issues Continue
With just two victories in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to say his team have been in good form.
He is, however, working with a severely stretched squad, with multiple first-team players already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That total will increase if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly urging his manager to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already insisting he needs to practice," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
The Captain's Influence Endures
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly continue to be a prominent presence, as whereas most injured players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on offering insight.
"The guy is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's always communicating. That's why he's the captain.
"He has flaws at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of strengths. After he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Key Personnel
While the exact timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
