Manager Ruben Amorim contends that switching Manchester United's formation due to external noise would have meant "the end" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his usual three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and instead deploy an standard four-man defense shielded by two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively became a six-man defensive block in the latter stages as his side held on for a victory - securing only their second shutout of the campaign.
Although he once memorably stated that not even the Pope could force him to adjust his system, Amorim maintains the option to experiment with varied setups has consistently been part of his plan.
However, he stresses he could only alter the tactics when his team were doing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would look as if he was succumbing to outside criticism.
"At the time I arrived here the previous campaign, I realized perhaps I didn't possess the players to play well in a back three, but it was the beginning of a project," he stated.
"Our aim was to forge an identity. Currently is a separate time. We are missing a lot of personnel, and we have to adjust, so they understand why we are making changes.
"The change isn't because of the demands of journalists, or the faithful.
"When you talk about altering the system constantly, I cannot change because the players will believe I'm altering things because of external voices and I think that is a disaster for the manager.
"Once we are playing well in our system, that becomes the right time to change.
"This will help us grow into a more complete side because when all the personnel are available, we are not planning to use three defenders all the time."
Squad Challenges Loom Large
Having only two victories in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is correct to state his team have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, operating with a injury-ravaged roster, with multiple senior players already unavailable for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will increase if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to recover the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be pressing his boss to let him to make a comeback following his muscle problem.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "However there is absolutely no possibility he is going to feature against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Influence Remains
However, the Portuguese star will likely still be heavily involved, as whereas most injured players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to continue offering guidance.
"He is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be that guy that when he is absent, he's silent and offering advice. He's always speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are bad things at times - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of strengths. After he recovers, he heads to observe the rest of the squad practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a leader."
Recovery Timeline for Key Personnel
Although the precise timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of fellow injured stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international competition.
