Manager Ruben Amorim argues that changing Manchester United's formation due to public pressure would have signaled "his demise" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim ditched his trademark three-at-the-back formation with wing-backs and chose to use an orthodox back four shielded by two defensive midfielders.
He himself conceded this at times transformed into a back six in the latter phase as his team held on for a crucial result - securing just their second clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once notably stated that not even the Pope could pressure him to change his system, Amorim maintains the option to play with alternative formations has remained part of his long-term vision.
Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could only make the switch when his team were performing sufficiently well - or else it would appear as if he was succumbing to external noise.
"When I arrived here last season, I recognized maybe I lacked the personnel to play well in a back three, but it was the beginning of a journey," he commented.
"Our aim was to forge an philosophy. Currently is a distinct moment. We are missing a full complement of players, and we need be flexible, so they see why we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the pressure of you guys, or the faithful.
"When you talk about altering the formation all the time, I can't make a change because the players will believe I'm changing because of you and I believe that is the end for the coach.
"Only when we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that becomes the right time to change.
"We will develop into a more complete squad because when our full complement of players are available, we are not going to play with a back three all the time."
Squad Crisis Loom Large
Having just two wins in eight games before beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is right to say his side have been in good form.
He is, nonetheless, working with a injury-ravaged roster, with multiple first-team stars already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against struggling Wolves.
That figure will grow if midfielder Mason Mount fails to shake off the injury that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is one of those who will miss the Wolves match, even though he is reportedly urging his manager to allow him to return after his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to practice," said Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to play against Wolves. Definitely not. You can quote me on that."
The Captain's Role Endures
However, the 31-year-old will likely still be deeply engaged, as whereas most unavailable players watch matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen monitoring the pre-match routines from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his captain to continue offering insight.
"He is a leader," he declared. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's always vocal. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has negative aspects sometimes - the way he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. After he recovers, he heads to observe 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 leader. The guy is a leader."
Return Schedule for Injured Players
Although the exact timeline for the captain's comeback - and that of other injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains uncertain, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
