Boss Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's formation due to media pressure would have signaled "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his trademark three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and opted to use an orthodox back four with two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times functioned as a back six in the latter phase as his side held on for a win - securing just their second clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once memorably remarked that even the highest authority could force him to tweak his approach, Amorim insists the option to play with alternative setups has always been part of his long-term vision.
However, he stresses he could only alter the tactics when his team were performing well enough - or else it would seem as if he was giving in to external noise.
"At the time I arrived here last season, I recognized maybe I don't have the squad to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the start of a project," he said.
"We were trying to forge an philosophy. Now is a distinct moment. We lack a lot of personnel, and we need adapt, so they see the reason we are making changes.
"It is not because of the influence of you guys, or the faithful.
"Whenever you talk about changing the formation constantly, I cannot make a change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of you and I feel that is the downfall for the manager.
"Once we are playing well in our system, that becomes the right time to adapt.
"We are going to become a stronger squad because when our full complement of personnel return, we are not going to employ three defenders all the time."
Injury Issues Persist
With only two victories in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is correct to say his side have been playing well.
He is, though, managing with a severely stretched squad, with multiple senior players already ruled out for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolves.
That figure will rise if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be urging his manager to allow him to make a comeback after his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to train," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Influence Remains
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly continue to be heavily involved, as while most unavailable players watch 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 captain to carry on offering guidance.
"The guy is a leader," he stated. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly communicating. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has bad things at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he recovers, he goes to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Personnel
Although the exact timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
