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When you cannot triumph, avoid defeat - as the proverb states.

Before their trip to Forest, Manchester United had earned only 8 points from deficit situations with their manager. They had not got any from the past six games when they found themselves behind since the match to Bournemouth last April, when a last-minute effort snatched a draw.

When they were behind at the stadium after conceding twice in a couple of minutes, as Nottingham Forest overturned a contentious opening period goal, Manchester United were in serious trouble.

The inquiry to the manager after his side fought back to tie could not have been any clearer.

Had that match occurred last season, do you believe you would have lost it?'

The response was just as decisive.

"Yes, and by more goals, I believe so."

It's impossible to determine the reality. What we do know that the young player demonstrated why the coach selects him at defensive wing by scoring a sensational volleyed strike from near the edge of the penalty area late in the game to earn a draw.

It's been clear since the start of the season that Manchester United are playing better this season. Since the start of autumn, they have also been getting better results.

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

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

"In the past, if we had such a poor five minutes and we suffered two goals, we wouldn't bounce back," said Amorim. "Now is a different sensation. It's evident we might not triumph in this game but we are not going to lose. And that is a mindset a major club occasionally has to have."

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

The attacker is not one to shy away from challenging circumstances, on the contrary in fact. In the opening period, when he was jeered by the home fans for what they believed was his gamesmanship, he reacted - rather than ignore it - gesturing toward the badge on his kit.

Mbeumo is a hustle-bustle menace, the epitome of a footballer who will not give an rival any rest.

The coach was asked precisely what had led to the psychological growth. Apart from saying the self-belief gained from the previous three successive wins, he didn't provide an explanation.

"Our self-belief, of course, is completely different," he said. "Following three good games and we have a newfound confidence. The players comprehend one another more effectively. We talk more about these aspects.

"We demonstrated this season we can have difficult periods but then, we have three good games.

"We just need to be inside the match until the last moments. Previously, we could have collapsed completely based on how we performed in the game. Today, the impression was different."

Doubt Remains Regarding Prospects of Zirkzee and the midfielder

While this represented a day when United displayed their resilience, it was additionally a moment that likely created the Dutch forward and the young midfielder increasingly unsure of their futures in the manager's revamped squad.

In his before the game press conference, Amorim said it was likely members of the squad who think they are at danger of not making the World Cup will request transfers in the winter transfer window.

One can reasonably conclude Zirkzee and the midfielder fit into that category. The forward has accumulated 82 minutes from his four top-flight cameo roles in the current campaign. For Mainoo, the total is 138 from 7.

Neither has begun a Premier League game so far and neither 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 at times I have the feeling if I'm going to stop the game constantly, I'm going to break something," said Amorim. "We were improving during the later stages, so my feeling was not to change anything with the players in front."

Mainoo had a agreement in place to join Napoli in the final stages of the transfer period but the club would not approve a deal. The striker was returning from a fitness issue but is now considering the idea of a move back to Italy.

The circumstances is made more complex by the absence of Mbeumo and Amad to the Africa Cup of Nations in the midst of the winter, a period which features a couple of midweek games which will require a level of squad changes not previously needed.

Since the championship match is on 18 January, the duo are expected to be back long before the transfer window ends on February 2nd - which could result in a later outcome than any eager to leave individual would prefer.

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

"It isn't related to quality - and we have a many fixtures."