Boss Ruben Amorim argues that altering Manchester United's formation due to external noise would have signaled "the end" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his usual three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and instead use an orthodox four-man defense with two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively transformed into a back six in the final phase as his side dug in for a crucial result - securing only their second shutout of the campaign.
While he once notably said that even the Pope could compel him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the ability to utilize different formations has consistently been part of his strategy.
Nevertheless, he stresses he could only make the switch when his team were faring well enough - otherwise it would seem as if he was giving in to external criticism.
"When I came here last season, I recognized perhaps I lacked the players to excel in that formation, but it was the start of a project," he stated.
"We were trying to establish an philosophy. Today is a separate time. We lack a lot of personnel, and we have to adapt, so they understand the reason we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the influence of the media, or the supporters.
"Whenever the press talk about altering the system constantly, I cannot change because the squad will understand I'm changing because of external voices and I feel that is the downfall for the manager.
"Once we are performing strongly in our system, that is the opportunity to adapt.
"This will help us develop into a better side because when all the players are back, we are not intending to use a back three all the time."
Squad Issues Persist
Having just two victories in eight games before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is accurate to say his team have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, working with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven senior stars already unavailable for the forthcoming home game against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will grow if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves match, despite the fact he is understood to be pushing his manager to allow him to return after his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already insisting he needs to practice," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
The Captain's Leadership Remains
However, the 31-year-old will almost certainly still be a prominent presence, as whereas most injured stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue providing insight.
"The guy is a leader," he declared. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and speaking. He's constantly communicating. That's why he's the captain.
"There are bad things sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of strengths. Even after he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my job or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Key Personnel
Although the precise date for Fernandes' return - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, before the conclusion of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from international duty.
