Manager Ruben Amorim says that changing Man Utd's formation due to media pressure would have been "the end" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his trademark three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and instead use an traditional back four shielded by two holding midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the latter phase as his side dug in for a victory - securing just their second clean sheet of the season.
While he once memorably remarked that not even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim insists the capacity to experiment with alternative setups has remained part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could solely implement the change when his team were doing well enough - or else it would appear as if he was bowing to outside noise.
"When I came here last season, I realized maybe I didn't possess the squad to play well in a back three, but it was the commencement of a project," he stated.
"Our aim was to establish an philosophy. Now is a separate juncture. We lack a lot of players, and we must adjust, so they comprehend the reason we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the demands of journalists, or the faithful.
"When media criticize altering the formation constantly, I can't make a change because the players will understand I'm changing because of you and I think that is a disaster for the coach.
"When we are playing well in our system, then is the right time to change.
"We are going to become a more complete squad because when all the players are available, we are not going to play with three defenders exclusively."
Squad Issues Loom Large
With only two victories in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is accurate to say his side have been playing well.
He is, though, working with a severely stretched roster, with seven senior stars already unavailable for the upcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will increase if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the injury 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 match, even though he is understood to be urging his boss to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already saying he has to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
Fernandes' Leadership Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be heavily involved, as whereas most unavailable stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to carry on providing input.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly vocal. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are negative aspects at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he recovers, he goes to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my job or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."
Return Schedule for Injured Players
Although the exact timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
