Head coach Ruben Amorim argues that switching Man Utd's formation due to external scrutiny would have meant "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his usual three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and instead use an traditional four-man defense shielded by two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times transformed into a six-man defensive block in the final stages as his side held on for a crucial result - securing just their second shutout of the season.
Although he once famously stated that even the Pope could force him to adjust his system, Amorim maintains the capacity to experiment with alternative formations has always been part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he stresses he could solely implement the change when his team were doing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would seem as if he was giving in to outside criticism.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I recognized perhaps I don't have the personnel to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the start of a journey," he commented.
"Our aim was to forge an style. Now is a different moment. We are missing a full complement of players, and we need adjust, so they see the reason we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the demands of you guys, or the supporters.
"When you talk about changing the formation repeatedly, I can't change because the players will understand I'm altering things because of external voices and I believe that is the downfall for the manager.
"Once we are playing well in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to evolve.
"We are going to develop into a more complete squad because when our full complement of players return, we are not going to employ three defenders all the time."
Availability Issues Continue
Having just two victories in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is correct to say his side have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven first-team stars already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That figure will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be pushing his manager to let him to make a comeback after his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already saying he needs to train," said Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Influence Endures
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will probably continue to be deeply engaged, as while most unavailable players view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his captain to carry on providing guidance.
"The guy is a natural leader," he declared. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly vocal. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are bad things sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. After he finishes treatment, he goes to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a many things that go unnoticed.
"I don't know if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Schedule for Key Players
While the specific date for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
