Boss Ruben Amorim argues that switching Manchester United's formation due to public noise would have signaled "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his trademark back three setup with wing-backs and opted to use an standard back four with two central midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a six-man defensive block in the final phase as his side clung on for a win - securing only their second shutout of the campaign.
Despite he once notably said that not even the Pope could pressure him to change his approach, Amorim insists the ability to play with varied formations has remained part of his strategy.
However, he clarifies he could solely implement the change when his team were faring at an acceptable level - otherwise it would look as if he was succumbing to external noise.
"When I came here last season, I understood maybe I didn't possess the squad to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the beginning of a project," he stated.
"We were trying to establish an identity. Today is a separate moment. We don't have a lot of personnel, and we must adapt, so they understand the reason we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the pressure of journalists, or the supporters.
"When you criticize altering the formation repeatedly, I cannot change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of you and I feel that is the end for the coach.
"Once we are playing well in our preferred setup, then is the right time to adapt.
"We will become a better team because when our full complement of personnel return, we are not planning to use three defenders in every match."
Injury Challenges Continue
Having just two victories in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to state his side have been in good form.
He is, however, managing with a severely stretched squad, with multiple senior stars already unavailable for the upcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is understood to be pressing his manager to allow him to make a comeback after his hamstring problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he has to practice," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
The Captain's Role Remains
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will almost certainly still be deeply engaged, as while most unavailable players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on providing insight.
"He is a leader," he declared. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly communicating. That's why he's the skipper.
"He has negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he goes 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. He is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Personnel
Although the precise date for the captain's return - and that of other injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
