Boss Ruben Amorim says that altering Man Utd's formation due to external scrutiny would have signaled "his demise" for him.
Initially against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his customary back three setup with wide defenders and opted to field an orthodox back four shielded by two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times transformed into a six-man defensive block in the latter minutes as his team dug in for a win - securing just their second shutout of the campaign.
Although he once memorably stated that even the highest authority could compel him to change his approach, Amorim maintains the capacity to utilize different setups has consistently been part of his strategy.
However, he emphasizes he could only make the switch when his team were performing sufficiently well - lest it would look as if he was bowing to outside pressure.
"At the time I came here last season, I recognized perhaps I didn't possess the players to play well in that formation, but it was the commencement of a journey," he stated.
"We were trying to build an identity. Today is a distinct moment. We lack a full complement of personnel, and we need be flexible, so they see why we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the pressure of the media, or the fans.
"Whenever media discuss changing the formation repeatedly, I cannot change because the squad will think I'm changing because of you and I feel that is the downfall for the manager.
"Only when we are getting results in our preferred setup, that becomes the moment to change.
"We will grow into a better side because when all the personnel are back, we are not planning to employ three defenders exclusively."
Injury Challenges Loom Large
Having only two wins in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to state his side have been in good form.
He is, however, managing with a injury-ravaged roster, with multiple first-team players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will grow if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be pushing his boss to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
Fernandes' Influence Endures
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as whereas most unavailable stars 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 continue offering insight.
"The guy is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has flaws sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he recovers, he goes to observe the other guys practicing. There are a many things you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Injured Personnel
Although the precise timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other injured players 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 international duty.
