Now is optimal to switch Man Utd's formation - the manager declares.
Boss Ruben Amorim says that altering Man Utd's formation due to media scrutiny would have been "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his usual back three setup with wing-backs and opted to deploy an traditional four-man defense shielded by two holding midfielders.
He himself conceded this effectively functioned as a six-man defensive block in the latter phase as his team clung on for a crucial result - securing only their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Despite he once memorably said that even the highest authority could compel him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the option to play with alternative setups has remained part of his long-term vision.
Yet, he clarifies he could only make the switch when his team were doing well enough - lest it would seem as if he was giving in to outside criticism.
"When I arrived here last season, I understood maybe I lacked the players to perform effectively in a back three, but it was the start of a journey," he said.
"The goal was to establish an philosophy. Today is a different moment. We don't have a lot of personnel, and we must be flexible, so they see the reason we are making changes.
"This isn't because of the influence of you guys, or the fans.
"Whenever media talk about changing the formation repeatedly, I cannot make a change because the squad will think I'm altering things because of you and I think that is a disaster for the coach.
"Once we are playing well in our system, then is the opportunity to evolve.
"This will help us develop into a better squad because when all the players return, we are not going to use a back three exclusively."
Squad Crisis Continue
Having only two wins in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is arguable whether Amorim is correct to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, however, operating with a severely stretched roster, with seven first-team players already confirmed absent for the forthcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will rise if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that forced his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves match, despite the fact he is understood to be urging his boss to allow him to return following his muscle problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he has to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No way. You can write that."
The Captain's Leadership Remains
However, the Portuguese star will likely continue to be a prominent presence, as while most injured stars view matches from a private box, Fernandes was spotted keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim expects his leader to carry on offering insight.
"He is a leader," he affirmed. "He must not be that guy that when he is not playing, he's not talking and speaking. He's always speaking. That's why he's the skipper.
"There are flaws sometimes - his mannerisms he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of good things. After he finishes treatment, he heads to watch the rest of the squad training. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a born leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Timeline for Key Personnel
While the exact date for the captain's return - and that of other unavailable players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, before the conclusion of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
