Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that altering Man Utd's formation due to external pressure would have signaled "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his customary back three formation with wide defenders and opted to deploy an traditional back four shielded by two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively functioned as a six-man defensive block in the latter stages as his team dug in for a win - securing only their second shutout of the season.
While he once notably stated that even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his approach, Amorim asserts the option to play with varied formations has remained part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could solely implement the change when his team were faring sufficiently well - otherwise it would look as if he was giving in to external criticism.
"At the time I arrived here last season, I realized maybe I didn't possess the personnel to play well in that system, but it was the beginning of a journey," he said.
"We were trying to build an philosophy. Currently is a separate juncture. We don't have a lot of players, and we must adjust, so they understand the reason we are making changes.
"It is not because of the influence of the media, or the faithful.
"Whenever the press talk about changing the formation all the time, I can't make a change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is a disaster for the coach.
"When we are getting results in our system, that becomes the opportunity to change.
"We will develop into a more complete team because when all the players are available, we are not planning to employ a back three in every match."
Squad Challenges Loom Large
With just two victories in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to state his team have been playing well.
He is, however, operating with a severely stretched roster, with seven first-team stars already unavailable for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is reportedly urging his manager to allow him to make a comeback following his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he has to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Role Is Unwavering
However, the 31-year-old will probably continue to be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on offering guidance.
"The guy 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 communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has negative aspects at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he recovers, he goes to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Key Players
Although the specific date for the captain's return - and that of other 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 international duty.
