Boss Ruben Amorim says that altering Man Utd's formation due to public noise would have signaled "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his customary back three setup with wide defenders and chose to deploy an traditional back four with two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this ultimately became a back six in the final minutes as his squad dug in for a crucial result - securing only their second shutout of the campaign.
While he once famously said that even the Pope could force him to tweak his approach, Amorim maintains the capacity to utilize different setups has always been part of his plan.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could solely implement the change when his team were faring at an acceptable level - otherwise it would seem as if he was giving in to outside criticism.
"At the time I arrived here last season, I recognized perhaps I don't have the squad to excel in that formation, but it was the start of a project," he commented.
"Our aim was to establish an identity. Now is a separate time. We are missing a lot of players, and we have to be flexible, so they comprehend why we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the influence of the media, or the supporters.
"When you criticize changing the system all the time, I cannot change because the players will think I'm changing because of you and I think that is the end for the coach.
"Once we are getting results in our system, that is the moment to adapt.
"We are going to develop into a stronger side because when all the players return, we are not planning to play with a back three in every match."
Injury Challenges Persist
Having only two victories in eight games prior to defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to state his team have been playing well.
He is, however, managing with a depleted roster, with seven first-team stars already confirmed absent for the forthcoming home game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That number will grow if midfielder Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is among those who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is reportedly pressing his boss to allow him to make a comeback after his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to practice," said Amorim. "But there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Role Endures
However, the Portuguese star will probably continue to be a prominent presence, as while most injured stars watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his leader to continue offering input.
"The guy is a natural leader," he declared. "He must not be the type of player that when he is absent, he's not talking and speaking. He's constantly speaking. That is the reason he's the captain.
"There are flaws sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even after he finishes treatment, he goes to watch the other guys practicing. 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. He is a true captain."
Return Timeline for Injured Players
Although the exact date for Fernandes' comeback - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unclear, before the conclusion of January, United will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
