Head coach Ruben Amorim says that altering Manchester United's tactical system due to media pressure would have been "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his trademark three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and chose to deploy an traditional four-man defense shielded by two central midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this effectively functioned as a six-man defensive block in the closing stages as his team held on for a win - securing only their second clean sheet of the season.
Although he once notably remarked that even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his approach, Amorim asserts the capacity to utilize varied setups has remained part of his strategy.
Yet, he emphasizes he could only make the switch when his team were doing sufficiently well - otherwise it would appear as if he was giving in to external noise.
"When I arrived here last season, I understood perhaps I lacked the squad to excel in that system, but it was the beginning of a journey," he stated.
"The goal was to establish an philosophy. Today is a distinct moment. We don't have a lot of personnel, and we must be flexible, so they understand the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the demands of you guys, or the supporters.
"Whenever the press talk about changing the system constantly, I can't make a change because the players will think I'm changing because of you and I think that is the end for the coach.
"When we are playing well in our system, then is the right time to evolve.
"We will become a stronger team because when our full complement of players are back, we are not planning to play with three defenders all the time."
Availability Issues Persist
Having just two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, however, operating with a injury-ravaged squad, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will grow if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be urging his boss to let him to return after his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Role Remains
However, the Portuguese star will almost certainly continue to be deeply engaged, as while most injured players view matches from a private box, 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 is sure his captain to continue providing guidance.
"He is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He cannot be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has negative aspects at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of good things. After he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I don't know if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Key Personnel
While the precise timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
