Manager Ruben Amorim says that changing Manchester United's formation due to media scrutiny would have signaled "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his customary three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and instead field an traditional four-man defense shielded by two defensive midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this at times functioned as a back six in the final minutes as his squad clung on for a win - securing just their second-ever shutout of the campaign.
Despite he once memorably stated that even the Pope could force him to tweak his system, Amorim asserts the option to experiment with alternative formations has always been part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he clarifies he could only implement the change when his team were performing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would seem as if he was bowing to external criticism.
"At the time I arrived here last season, I recognized perhaps I lacked the squad to play well in a back three, but it was the start of a process," he stated.
"Our aim was to forge an philosophy. Now is a distinct time. We are missing a full complement of personnel, and we need adapt, so they understand why we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the demands of you guys, or the supporters.
"When you talk about altering the system repeatedly, I cannot change because the squad will believe I'm altering things because of you and I think that is a disaster for the manager.
"When we are playing well in our preferred setup, that is the moment to adapt.
"We are going to grow into a more complete squad because when our full complement of players are available, we are not planning to use a back three in every match."
Availability Issues Persist
Having just two wins in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to say his team have been in good form.
He is, though, operating with a severely stretched roster, with multiple senior stars already confirmed absent for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That figure will rise if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that led to his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is reportedly pressing his manager to let him to make a comeback following his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already saying he has to practice," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
The Captain's Role Remains
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will likely still be a prominent presence, as whereas most unavailable players watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue offering input.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has flaws at times - the way he gesticulates - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he recovers, he heads to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he wants my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Key Players
Although the precise timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
