Boss Ruben Amorim argues that changing Man Utd's formation due to media scrutiny would have meant "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his trademark three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and instead deploy an standard four-man defense shielded by two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times became a six-man defensive block in the closing phase as his squad dug in for a win - securing just their second-ever shutout of the season.
While he once memorably remarked that not even the highest authority could compel him to change his approach, Amorim maintains the capacity to play with different setups has consistently been part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only alter the tactics when his team were doing at an acceptable level - lest it would seem as if he was succumbing to outside criticism.
"When I came here last season, I realized maybe I lacked the players to play well in that system, but it was the commencement of a journey," he said.
"The goal was to build an style. Currently is a distinct moment. We are missing a lot of personnel, and we have to adjust, so they see the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the influence of the media, or the fans.
"When you talk about changing the formation constantly, I cannot make a change because the players will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I believe that is a disaster for the manager.
"When we are performing strongly in our system, that becomes the opportunity to change.
"This will help us grow into a more complete team because when all the players are back, we are not intending to employ a back three all the time."
Squad Challenges Persist
Having only two victories in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his side have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a severely stretched roster, with multiple first-team players already unavailable for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly pushing his manager to let him to return following his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already saying he has to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly continue to be a prominent presence, as while most injured players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to carry on providing insight.
"The guy is a leader," he declared. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly speaking. That's why he's the skipper.
"He has bad things sometimes - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of good things. Even after he recovers, he goes to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my job or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Injured Personnel
Although the specific timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
