Boss Ruben Amorim contends that altering Man Utd's tactical system due to media scrutiny would have meant "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his customary three-at-the-back setup with wing-backs and instead deploy an standard four-man defense with two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this effectively became a six-man defensive block in the latter phase as his team held on for a victory - securing only their second clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once memorably stated that even the highest authority could pressure him to adjust his system, Amorim insists the capacity to play with varied setups has consistently been part of his plan.
However, he emphasizes he could solely make the switch when his team were performing at an acceptable level - or else it would appear as if he was succumbing to outside criticism.
"When I arrived here last season, I recognized perhaps I lacked the players to perform effectively in that system, but it was the commencement of a process," he stated.
"Our aim was to build an philosophy. Today is a separate juncture. We don't have a full complement of players, and we must adjust, so they understand why we are changing.
"The change isn't because of the demands of the media, or the faithful.
"Whenever media criticize changing the formation constantly, I can't make a change because the players will think I'm changing because of external voices and I think that is the downfall for the coach.
"Once we are playing well in our system, that is the moment to adapt.
"We will grow into a stronger side because when all the personnel are available, we are not intending to use a back three exclusively."
Availability Crisis Persist
Having just two wins in their last eight outings before beating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to state his team have been playing well.
He is, nonetheless, working with a injury-ravaged squad, with seven senior players already ruled out for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That total will rise if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly pushing his boss to allow him to return after his hamstring injury.
"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to practice," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. No chance. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Leadership Remains
However, the Portuguese star will likely still be deeply engaged, as while most injured players watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was seen monitoring the warm-ups from the entrance of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to carry on offering guidance.
"He is a natural leader," he affirmed. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and offering advice. He's constantly communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has negative aspects at times - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a lot of 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 true captain."
Return Timeline for Key Players
While the precise 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, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
