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If you can't triumph, avoid defeat - so the old saying goes.

Before their trip to Forest, Man Utd had gained just eight points from losing positions with their manager. They had failed to secure any from the past six games when they trailed since the trip to AFC Bournemouth last April, when a last-minute goal snatched a draw.

When they found themselves trailing at the stadium after letting in two goals in a short span, as Forest overturned a controversial opening period opener, United were in serious trouble.

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

'If that game happened the previous campaign, do you feel you would have lost it?'

The answer was just as decisive.

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

It's impossible to determine the reality. What we do know that the young player demonstrated why the coach picks him at defensive wing by flashing home a spectacular volleyed strike from near the edge of the box late in the game to earn a point.

It has been obvious since the beginning of the campaign that United are playing better this season. Since the start of October, they have also been achieving more positive outcomes.

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

In this game, the manager felt his squad demonstrated they have improved at that as well.

"Previously, if we had this kind of poor five minutes and we suffered two goals, we don't recover," said Amorim. "Today is a different sensation. You can sense we could not win this game but we are determined not to be defeated. And this represents a mindset a big team occasionally has to have."

The manager didn't mention it, but the arrival of Matheus Cunha and the winger probably made a difference.

The attacker is not one to shy away from challenging circumstances, on the contrary in fact. In the first half, when he was jeered by the home fans for what they believed was his gamesmanship, he reacted - instead of ignoring them - pointing to the crest on his shorts.

The forward is a constant threat, the epitome of a footballer who will not give an rival a moment's peace.

Amorim was asked exactly what had caused the mental improvement. Apart from saying the self-belief gained from the prior three successive wins, he didn't provide an answer.

"The confidence, naturally, is totally changed," he stated. "Following three good games and we have a newfound assurance. 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 remain inside the game until the last moments. Previously, we could have collapsed completely based on how we played the game. Now, the impression was not that one."

Uncertainty Lingers Regarding Prospects of the striker and Mainoo

While this represented a day when the team showed their fighting spirit, it was also a moment that likely created the Dutch forward and Kobbie Mainoo even more uncertain of their futures in the manager's revamped squad.

In his before the game press conference, the coach said it was likely players who believe they are at risk of not making the World Cup will ask to leave in the winter signing period.

One can reasonably conclude Zirkzee and Mainoo fit into that bracket. The forward has managed less than two full games from his four Premier League substitute appearances this season. For Mainoo, the total is over two hours from 7.

Not one has begun a league game this season and nor were they asked to come off the bench at the City Ground, as United sought a way back into a contest they were losing from the second half.

"Our squad includes a great deal of quality on the bench but at times I have the impression if I'm going to disrupt the flow constantly, I'm going to interrupt the rhythm," explained the manager. "We were improving during the second half, so my feeling was to avoid altering the setup with the guys in front."

The midfielder had a agreement in place to join the Italian club in the last days of the summer window but the club would not sanction a deal. The striker was coming back from injury but is now considering the idea of a return to Serie A.

The circumstances is made more complex by the absence of Mbeumo and the wing-back to the Africa Cup of Nations in the midst of December, a time which includes a few weekday matches which will demand a degree of squad changes unseen before.

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

"This is about the demands of the sport," said the coach, when questioned directly about Zirkzee and the midfielder. "They know it's only a phase.

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