Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that switching Man Utd's tactical system due to public pressure would have signaled "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his customary back three formation with wide defenders and opted to field an traditional four-man defense with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this at times became a back six in the final phase as his team dug in for a crucial result - securing only their second clean sheet of the season.
Although he once memorably said that not even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his approach, Amorim maintains the option to play with varied formations has remained part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he clarifies he could solely make the switch when his team were performing at an acceptable level - lest it would seem as if he was giving in to outside noise.
"When I arrived here last season, I recognized perhaps I lacked the squad to perform effectively in that system, but it was the start of a project," he commented.
"The goal was to build an philosophy. Now is a different time. We are missing a full complement of players, and we need adapt, so they comprehend the reason we are making changes.
"It is not because of the pressure of the media, or the fans.
"When the press talk about changing the system all the time, I can't make a change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of you and I believe that is the downfall for the manager.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that becomes the moment to evolve.
"We will become a more complete side because when our full complement of players are back, we are not planning to use a back three in every match."
Squad Challenges Loom Large
With only two victories in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to state his team have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a injury-ravaged squad, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the upcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That total will rise if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be urging his boss to let him to return after his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he has to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
Fernandes' Role Is Unwavering
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly continue to be deeply engaged, as whereas most injured players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to carry on offering insight.
"He is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has bad things sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. Even after he recovers, he goes to watch the other guys training. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my job or not, but he's a leader. He is a leader."
Return Timeline for Injured Personnel
While the precise timeline for the captain's return - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
