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If you can't triumph, don't lose - so the old saying goes.

Prior to their journey to Nottingham Forest, Manchester United had earned merely eight points from deficit situations with Ruben Amorim. They had failed to secure any from the previous six games when they found themselves behind since the match to Bournemouth last April, when a late effort snatched a tie.

When they found themselves trailing at the City Ground after letting in two goals in a short span, as Forest overturned a controversial opening period opener, Manchester United were facing defeat.

The question to Amorim after his side fought back to draw could not have been any clearer.

'If that game occurred the previous campaign, do you believe you would have lost it?'

The answer was just as forceful.

"Yes, and by a larger margin, I believe so."

We can never know the actual outcome. However, we do know that Amad Diallo demonstrated why Amorim picks him at defensive wing by flashing home a brilliant volleyed strike from near the edge of the penalty area nine minutes from time to secure a point.

It has been obvious since the beginning of the campaign that Manchester United are playing better this term. Since the start of autumn, they have additionally been achieving more positive outcomes.

The determination, the desire, the unwillingness to surrender are unquantifiables.

In this match, the manager felt his players showed they have got better at that as well.

"Previously, if we had such a poor five minutes and we conceded two goals, we wouldn't bounce back," said the coach. "Now is a distinct feeling. You can sense we could not triumph in the match but we are determined not to be defeated. And this represents a mindset a big team sometimes must possess."

Amorim didn't say it, but the signing of Matheus Cunha and the winger must have helped.

Cunha is not the type to retreat from challenging circumstances, quite the reverse in fact. In the opening period, when he was booed by the home fans for what they felt was his tactical play, he responded - rather than ignore it - pointing to the badge on his shorts.

Mbeumo is a energetic nuisance, the perfect example of a footballer who will not give an rival a moment's peace.

Amorim was asked precisely what had caused the psychological growth. Apart from saying the self-belief gained from the prior three successive wins, he didn't provide an explanation.

"Our self-belief, of course, is totally different," he stated. "We came from three good games and we have a newfound assurance. The players comprehend one another more effectively. We communicate increased about these aspects.

"We proved this season we can experience difficult periods but suddenly, we produce three strong performances.

"We just need to remain engaged in the game until the final 10 minutes. In the past, we could have lost everything based on how we performed in the game. Now, the impression was not that one."

Uncertainty Remains Over Futures of Zirkzee and the midfielder

While this represented a day when United showed their resilience, it was additionally a day that likely created Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo even more unsure of their roles in the manager's revamped squad.

In his pre-match press conference, the coach said it was possible members of the squad who think they are at danger of missing the World Cup will request transfers in the January transfer window.

It is fair to assume the striker and the midfielder fall into that bracket. Zirkzee has accumulated 82 minutes from his four Premier League substitute appearances in the current campaign. For the young player, the number is 138 from 7.

Not one has started a league game so far and nor were they called upon to come off the bench at the City Ground, as the team sought a route to recovery into a game they were losing from the 50th minute.

"Our squad includes a great deal of talent on the bench but sometimes I have the impression if I'm going to stop the game all the time, I'm going to break the rhythm," said Amorim. "We were improving during the second half, so my instinct was to avoid altering anything with the players in front."

The midfielder had a deal in place to move to Napoli in the final stages of the transfer period but United would not approve a deal. The striker was returning from a fitness issue but is currently open to the idea of a move back to Serie A.

The circumstances is complicated by the absence of the winger and Amad to the Africa Cup of Nations in the middle of the winter, a time which features a couple of weekday matches which will demand a level of squad changes unseen before.

As the championship match is on January 18th, the duo are expected to be returned long before the signing period ends on February 2nd - which could result in a delayed outcome than any eager to leave individual would like.

"This is about the demands of the sport," commented the coach, when asked directly about Zirkzee and Mainoo. "The players understand it's only a phase.

"It isn't related to quality - and we have a lot of games."