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When you cannot triumph, avoid defeat - according to traditional wisdom.

Before their visit to Forest, Man Utd had earned only eight points from losing positions under Ruben Amorim. They had failed to secure a single point from the past six games when they were losing since the trip to Bournemouth last April, when a late goal secured a tie.

When they were behind at the City Ground after letting in two goals in a couple of minutes, as Nottingham Forest overturned a controversial opening period goal, Manchester United were facing defeat.

The question to Amorim after his side fought back to draw could not have been more straightforward.

'If that game happened last season, do you believe you would have lost it?'

The answer was equally forceful.

"Yes, and by a larger margin, in my opinion."

It's impossible to determine the reality. What we do know that Amad Diallo showed why the coach selects him at wing-back by scoring a sensational first-time volley from just outside the box nine minutes from time to earn a draw.

It's been clear since the start of the season that United are playing better this term. Since the start of October, they have also been achieving more positive outcomes.

The determination, the will, the refusal to give in are unquantifiables.

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

"In the past, if we had this kind of poor short period and we suffered a couple of goals, we wouldn't bounce back," said Amorim. "Today is a different feeling. It's evident we could not triumph in the match but we are determined not to be defeated. And that is a feeling a big team occasionally has to have."

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

Cunha is not one to shy away from difficult situations, actually the opposite in fact. In the opening period, when he was booed by the local supporters for what they believed was his tactical play, he reacted - rather than ignore it - pointing to the crest on his kit.

The forward is a hustle-bustle menace, the epitome of a footballer who will not give an opponent any rest.

Amorim was asked precisely what had led to the mental improvement. Apart from mentioning the self-belief gained from the previous three successive wins, he didn't really give an answer.

"Our self-belief, naturally, is totally changed," he stated. "We came from three good games and we have a newfound confidence. The players comprehend each other better. We communicate more about this.

"We demonstrated this season we can experience bad moments but then, we produce three good games.

"We just need to be inside the match until the final 10 minutes. In the past, we could have lost everything based on how we performed in the encounter. Today, the feeling was different."

Uncertainty Lingers Over Prospects of the striker and Mainoo

While this represented a day when the team showed their fighting spirit, it was also a day that likely created Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo increasingly unsure of their futures in the manager's new-look squad.

In his pre-match press conference, the coach stated it was likely players who believe they are at risk of not making the World Cup will ask to leave in the winter transfer window.

It is fair to assume the striker and the midfielder fall into that bracket. Zirkzee has accumulated 82 minutes from his 4 top-flight cameo roles in the current campaign. For the young player, the number is over two hours from seven.

Not one has begun a Premier League match so far and nor were they asked to come off the bench at the City Ground, as the team chased a route to recovery into a game they were trailing in from the 50th minute.

"Our squad includes a lot of talent on the substitutes but sometimes I have the impression if I'm going to disrupt the flow all the time, I'm going to break something," said the manager. "Our performance was getting better during the later stages, so my instinct was not to change anything with the players in front."

The midfielder had a agreement in place to join the Italian club in the last days of the transfer period but the club would not approve a deal. Zirkzee was returning from injury but is now considering the idea of a return to Serie A.

The circumstances is complicated by the loss of Mbeumo and Amad to the continental tournament in the middle of the winter, a period which includes a few midweek games which will require a level of rotation unseen before.

As the final is on January 18th, the duo are expected to be back long before the signing period closes on 2 February - which could result in a later resolution than what wantaway individual would prefer.

"This is about the demands of the sport," said Amorim, when questioned directly about the forward and the midfielder. "The players understand it's just a moment.

"It's nothing to do with ability - and we have a lot of fixtures."