Head coach Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's formation due to media pressure would have meant "the end" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his usual three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and opted to use an standard four-man defense shielded by two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately became a six-man defensive block in the latter phase as his team clung on for a crucial result - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
While he once famously stated that not even the highest authority could pressure him to change his approach, Amorim insists the capacity to play with varied formations has remained part of his plan.
Yet, he clarifies he could solely alter the tactics when his team were faring well enough - otherwise it would look as if he was bowing to external noise.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I realized perhaps I don't have the players to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the beginning of a process," he said.
"We were trying to establish an identity. Currently is a separate juncture. We are missing a lot of players, and we must be flexible, so they see the reason we are changing.
"This isn't because of the demands of the media, or the faithful.
"When media discuss changing the formation repeatedly, I cannot change because the players will understand I'm changing because of you and I think that is the end for the manager.
"Only when we are getting results in our system, that becomes the moment to adapt.
"This will help us grow into a better team because when all the personnel are available, we are not intending to use a back three in every match."
Injury Challenges Continue
Having only two wins in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to state his side have been in good form.
He is, however, operating with a severely stretched roster, with seven senior players already ruled out for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will increase if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly urging his manager to allow him to make a comeback after his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already saying he has to train," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
The Captain's Role Endures
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will probably still be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on providing insight.
"He is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are flaws sometimes - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a lot of good things. After he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Personnel
Although the specific date for Fernandes' return - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
