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If you can't triumph, avoid defeat - according to traditional wisdom.

Prior to their visit to Nottingham Forest, Manchester United had earned only eight points from losing positions with their manager. They had not got any from the past six matches when they trailed since the trip to Bournemouth last spring, when a late effort snatched a tie.

When they went down at the stadium after letting in two goals in a short span, as Forest overturned a contentious opening period opener, Manchester United were in serious trouble.

The inquiry 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 decisive.

"Yes, and by a larger margin, that is my feeling."

We can never know the actual outcome. However, we do know that the young player showed why Amorim selects him at defensive wing by scoring a spectacular first-time volley from near the edge of the box nine minutes from time to secure a draw.

It has been obvious since the start of the season that United are playing better this term. Since the beginning of autumn, they have also been getting better results.

The resolve, the will, the refusal to give in are intangibles.

In this match, Amorim believed his squad demonstrated they have got better at that too.

"In the past, if we had such a poor five minutes and we conceded a couple of goals, we don't recover," said Amorim. "Now is a distinct feeling. You can sense we could not triumph in the match but we are not going to lose. And this represents a mindset a big team sometimes must possess."

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

Cunha is not the type to retreat from difficult situations, actually the opposite in fact. In the opening period, when he was booed by the home fans for what they believed was his gamesmanship, he reacted - rather than ignore it - pointing to the badge on his shorts.

Mbeumo is a hustle-bustle menace, the epitome of a player who will never allow an rival a moment's peace.

The coach was questioned precisely what had caused the mental improvement. Beyond mentioning the self-belief gained from the previous three successive wins, he didn't really give an explanation.

"The confidence, of course, is totally different," he said. "Following three good games and we have a newfound assurance. The players comprehend one another better. We communicate increased about these aspects.

"We demonstrated this year we can have bad moments but then, we have three strong performances.

"It's essential to remain engaged in the game until the last moments. In the past, we could have lost everything based on how we performed in the game. Now, the impression was different."

Uncertainty Remains Over Futures of Zirkzee and Mainoo

If this was a occasion when United showed their resilience, it was additionally a moment that likely created Joshua Zirkzee and the young midfielder increasingly uncertain of their roles in Amorim's revamped Manchester United.

In his pre-match media briefing, Amorim stated it was likely players who think they are at danger of not making the international tournament will request transfers in the winter signing period.

One can reasonably conclude the striker and Mainoo fit into that category. Zirkzee has managed 82 minutes from his 4 Premier League substitute appearances in the current campaign. For the young player, the number is over two hours from 7.

Neither has begun a Premier League match so far and nor were they asked to be substituted on at the City Ground, as United chased a route to recovery into a game they were losing from the 50th minute.

"We have a lot of talent on the substitutes but sometimes I have the feeling if I'm going to stop the game all the time, I'm going to interrupt something," said the manager. "Our performance was getting better during the later stages, so my instinct was not to change anything with the guys in front."

The midfielder had a deal in place to join the Italian club in the last days of the transfer period but the club would not approve a transfer. Zirkzee was coming back from a fitness issue but is currently open to the possibility of a return to Serie A.

The circumstances is complicated by the loss of the winger and Amad to the continental tournament in the middle of December, 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 pair are expected to be returned long before the transfer window closes on 2 February - which could result in a later resolution than what wantaway player would prefer.

"This is about the characteristics of the game," said Amorim, when asked specifically about the forward and Mainoo. "The players understand it's only a phase.

"It isn't related to ability - and we have a lot of fixtures."