Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that altering Man Utd's tactical system due to external scrutiny would have been "his demise" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his customary back three setup with wing-backs and instead use an standard back four shielded by two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately functioned as a six-man defensive block in the latter phase as his side clung on for a victory - securing only their second clean sheet of the season.
Although he once memorably stated that even the Pope could force him to tweak his approach, Amorim asserts the ability to utilize alternative setups has consistently been part of his strategy.
Yet, he clarifies he could solely make the switch when his team were performing sufficiently well - otherwise it would appear as if he was bowing to external pressure.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized perhaps I lacked the players to play well in that formation, but it was the beginning of a project," he stated.
"We were trying to establish an style. Today is a separate moment. We lack a full complement of players, and we need adapt, so they see the reason we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the influence of journalists, or the faithful.
"When you discuss altering the system constantly, I cannot make a change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of you and I believe that is a disaster for the coach.
"When we are performing strongly in our system, that becomes the right time to change.
"We will become a more complete team because when all the players are available, we are not going to play with a back three all the time."
Injury Crisis Loom Large
With only two wins in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to say his team have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a depleted roster, with seven first-team stars already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly urging his manager to allow him to return following his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already insisting he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
The Captain's Influence Endures
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will likely still be deeply engaged, as while most unavailable stars watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to carry on offering guidance.
"He is a natural leader," he stated. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's always vocal. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are bad things at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of strengths. After he recovers, he goes to observe the other guys training. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Schedule for Injured Personnel
While the specific timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
