Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that changing Man Utd's tactical system due to external scrutiny would have signaled "the end" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his usual back three setup with wide defenders and opted to deploy an traditional back four with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately became a six-man defensive block in the final stages as his team clung on for a victory - securing just their second shutout of the season.
Despite he once famously said that even the Pope could pressure him to change his approach, Amorim insists the ability to experiment with alternative setups has remained part of his plan.
However, he emphasizes he could only implement the change when his team were faring at an acceptable level - otherwise it would seem as if he was giving in to external noise.
"When I came here last season, I recognized perhaps I didn't possess the players to play well in that formation, but it was the beginning of a journey," he said.
"The goal was to establish an style. Currently is a distinct juncture. We lack a full complement of personnel, and we need be flexible, so they see the reason we are switching things up.
"This isn't because of the influence of the media, or the supporters.
"When the press talk about changing the formation all the time, I cannot make a change because the players will believe I'm altering things because of external voices and I feel that is a disaster for the coach.
"When we are getting results in our system, that becomes the opportunity to evolve.
"We are going to develop into a better squad because when our full complement of players are back, we are not going to employ three defenders in every match."
Availability Issues Continue
Having just two victories in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to say his side have been in good form.
He is, though, operating with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will rise if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is understood to be pressing his manager to let him to make a comeback following his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already insisting he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. You can write that."
Fernandes' Role Is Unwavering
However, the 31-year-old will probably still be heavily involved, as while most injured stars watch 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 anticipates his captain to carry on providing input.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's always vocal. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are negative aspects at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he recovers, he goes to watch the other guys training. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Schedule for Key Players
While the exact date for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, by the end of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
