Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that changing Manchester United's formation due to external noise would have meant "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his usual three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and instead field an standard back four with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately functioned as a six-man defensive block in the final phase as his squad dug in for a victory - securing only their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
Although he once famously remarked that not even the Pope could force him to tweak his system, Amorim insists the option to utilize different formations has always been part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he clarifies he could solely make the switch when his team were performing sufficiently well - or else it would seem as if he was giving in to outside criticism.
"When I came here last season, I understood perhaps I lacked the players to perform effectively in that formation, but it was the start of a journey," he commented.
"We were trying to forge an philosophy. Now is a different time. We are missing a lot of personnel, and we must be flexible, so they comprehend the reason we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the demands of the media, or the supporters.
"When you discuss altering the formation constantly, I can't change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of you and I believe that is the downfall for the coach.
"When we are playing well in our system, that becomes the right time to evolve.
"This will help us become a better team because when our full complement of personnel are available, we are not planning to use a back three in every match."
Squad Crisis Persist
With only two wins in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, though, working with a severely stretched roster, with multiple first-team stars already confirmed absent for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That total will rise if midfielder Mason Mount fails to shake off the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his manager to allow him to make a comeback following his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already saying he needs to practice," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
The Captain's Leadership Endures
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as while most unavailable players watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on offering input.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly communicating. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are flaws at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of good things. After he finishes treatment, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Key Personnel
While the specific timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
