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When you cannot triumph, avoid defeat - so the old saying goes.

Before their journey to Forest, Manchester United had earned only 8 points from deficit situations with their manager. They had not got any from the previous six games when they were losing since the match to AFC Bournemouth last spring, when a last-minute effort snatched a tie.

When they went down at the City Ground after conceding twice in a short span, as Nottingham Forest overturned a disputed first-half goal, United were in serious trouble.

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

'If that game happened the previous campaign, do you believe it would have ended in defeat?'

The answer was equally forceful.

"Absolutely, and by more goals, in my opinion."

It's impossible to determine the actual outcome. What we do know that Amad Diallo showed why the coach selects him at wing-back by flashing home a brilliant first-time volley from near the edge of the box nine minutes from time to earn a draw.

It's been clear since the start of the season that Manchester United are performing at a higher level this term. Since the start of autumn, they have additionally been getting better results.

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

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

"Previously, if we had such a poor five minutes and we conceded two goals, we wouldn't bounce back," stated the coach. "Today is a distinct feeling. 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 sometimes must possess."

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

Cunha is not the type to retreat from difficult situations, actually the opposite indeed. In the first half, when he was booed by the home fans for what they felt was his gamesmanship, he reacted - rather than ignore it - gesturing toward the badge on his kit.

The forward is a energetic nuisance, the epitome of a player who will not give an rival a moment's peace.

The coach was questioned precisely what had led to the mental improvement. Beyond saying the confidence generated from the previous three consecutive victories, he didn't provide an answer.

"The confidence, naturally, is completely changed," he said. "We came from three good games and we have a newfound assurance. The players comprehend each other better. We communicate increased about this.

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

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

Doubt Lingers Over Prospects of Zirkzee and the midfielder

While this represented a day when the team showed their resilience, it was also a moment that must have left the Dutch forward and the young midfielder increasingly uncertain of their futures in the manager's revamped Manchester United.

In his pre-match press conference, Amorim stated it was possible members of the squad who think they are at danger of not making the international tournament will request transfers in the winter signing period.

One can reasonably conclude Zirkzee and the midfielder fall into that bracket. Zirkzee has accumulated less than two full games from his 4 Premier League substitute appearances this season. For the young player, the number is over two hours from seven.

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

"We have a lot of quality on the substitutes but sometimes I have the feeling if I'm going to disrupt the flow constantly, I'm going to break the rhythm," explained the manager. "We were improving during the later stages, so my instinct was to avoid altering the setup with the guys in attack."

Mainoo had a deal in place to join the Italian club in the final stages of the transfer period but the club would not sanction a deal. Zirkzee was coming back from a fitness issue but is currently open to the idea of a return to Serie A.

The situation is made more complex by the loss of the winger and the wing-back to the Africa Cup of Nations in the midst of December, a time which features a few weekday matches which will demand a degree of squad changes not previously needed.

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

"It is the demands of the sport," commented the coach, when asked directly about Zirkzee and Mainoo. "They know it's just a moment.

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