Boss Ruben Amorim says that switching Man Utd's formation due to external noise would have been "the finish" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his trademark three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and instead field an orthodox four-man defense with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this at times became a back six in the final stages as his team clung on for a win - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
Although he once memorably remarked that not even the highest authority could compel him to adjust his approach, Amorim maintains the ability to utilize different setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could only make the switch when his team were faring sufficiently well - otherwise it would appear as if he was succumbing to outside pressure.
"When I arrived here last season, I realized perhaps I didn't possess the squad to play well in a back three, but it was the start of a process," he stated.
"We were trying to build an identity. Today is a different time. We lack a full complement of players, and we must adjust, so they comprehend why we are changing.
"This isn't because of the demands of you guys, or the faithful.
"When you talk about changing the formation all the time, I can't make a change because the squad will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is a disaster for the manager.
"When we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that is the right time to adapt.
"We will become a stronger squad because when all the personnel are back, we are not going to play with a back three in every match."
Squad Crisis Persist
With only two wins in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to state his side have been in good form.
He is, however, working with a injury-ravaged squad, with multiple first-team players already ruled out for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will rise if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his manager to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Leadership Endures
However, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be a prominent presence, as whereas most injured players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to carry on offering insight.
"The guy is a leader," he declared. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has bad things sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad practicing. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Schedule for Injured Personnel
While the exact timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
