Boss Ruben Amorim contends that altering Manchester United's formation due to external pressure would have been "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his usual back three setup with wing-backs and chose to field an standard back four with two holding midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this effectively became a back six in the latter phase as his squad dug in for a crucial result - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the campaign.
While he once famously stated that not even the highest authority could compel him to change his system, Amorim maintains the capacity to experiment with alternative formations has remained part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could solely alter the tactics when his team were faring well enough - lest it would appear as if he was bowing to outside pressure.
"When I came here last season, I recognized maybe I don't have the squad to perform effectively in that system, but it was the beginning of a journey," he commented.
"The goal was to establish an philosophy. Today is a different juncture. We are missing a full complement of personnel, and we need adjust, so they comprehend the reason we are changing.
"This isn't because of the pressure of journalists, or the faithful.
"Whenever media discuss changing the system constantly, I can't change because the players will believe I'm altering things because of you and I feel that is the end for the manager.
"Once we are getting results in our system, that is the opportunity to adapt.
"We will grow into a stronger team because when our full complement of personnel are available, we are not going to play with a back three all the time."
Availability Crisis Continue
Having only two victories in eight games prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is right to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, though, operating with a severely stretched squad, with multiple senior players already ruled out for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolves.
That total will grow if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly urging his manager to allow him to make a comeback after his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already saying he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can write that."
The Captain's Role Endures
However, the Portuguese star will probably still be a prominent presence, as while most unavailable stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to continue providing insight.
"He is a leader," he affirmed. "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.
"He has flaws sometimes - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to observe the rest of the squad training. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Injured Personnel
While the specific timeline for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other unavailable players 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 continental duty.
