Boss Ruben Amorim argues that switching Manchester United's formation due to media noise would have meant "the end" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his customary back three setup with wide defenders and opted to use an traditional four-man defense shielded by two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times became a six-man defensive block in the closing minutes as his team clung on for a crucial result - securing just their second clean sheet of the campaign.
While he once memorably remarked that even the Pope could compel him to tweak his system, Amorim insists the capacity to experiment with alternative setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he clarifies he could only implement the change when his team were faring sufficiently well - otherwise it would look as if he was bowing to external criticism.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I realized maybe I didn't possess the squad to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the start of a process," he commented.
"We were trying to build an identity. Currently is a distinct juncture. We don't have a full complement of personnel, and we need be flexible, so they comprehend the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the demands of the media, or the faithful.
"When media criticize altering the system all the time, I cannot change because the players will believe I'm changing because of external voices and I believe that is the downfall for the coach.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our system, that becomes the right time to change.
"This will help us grow into a stronger squad because when our full complement of personnel are available, we are not going to use a back three exclusively."
Squad Issues Persist
With only two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to claim his side have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, working with a depleted roster, with multiple senior players already ruled out for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be pressing his boss to let him to return after his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to train," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Role Endures
However, the Portuguese star will likely still be heavily involved, as while most injured stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen monitoring the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue offering guidance.
"The guy is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's always speaking. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"There are negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the other guys practicing. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Players
Although the precise date for the captain's return - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
