Boss Ruben Amorim contends that altering Manchester United's tactical system due to public scrutiny would have been "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his customary back three setup with wing-backs and opted to use an orthodox four-man defense shielded by two central midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately functioned as a six-man defensive block in the latter stages as his team clung on for a win - securing just their second-ever shutout of the season.
Despite he once memorably stated that not even the Pope could compel him to tweak his approach, Amorim maintains the option to utilize different setups has always been part of his strategy.
Yet, he stresses he could solely alter the tactics when his team were performing well enough - or else it would appear as if he was giving in to outside pressure.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I lacked the personnel to excel in that formation, but it was the start of a project," he commented.
"The goal was to build an philosophy. Currently is a different juncture. We don't have a lot of players, and we need be flexible, so they comprehend the reason we are making changes.
"It is not because of the influence of journalists, or the fans.
"Whenever you criticize changing the system constantly, I can't make a change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I believe that is a disaster for the coach.
"When we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, then is the moment to adapt.
"We will grow into a better side because when all the players return, we are not planning to employ three defenders all the time."
Squad Issues Continue
With only two victories in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is right to state his side have been in good form.
He is, however, working with a injury-ravaged squad, with seven first-team players already confirmed absent for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolves.
That number will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves clash, even though he is understood to be pressing his boss to allow him to make a comeback following his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to practice," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
Fernandes' Role Endures
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will probably continue to be deeply engaged, as whereas most unavailable stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue providing guidance.
"He is a leader," he stated. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"He has bad things at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the other guys training. There are a lot of things that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Timeline for Key Personnel
While the exact timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of fellow unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
