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

Prior to their visit to Nottingham Forest, Man Utd had earned merely eight points from deficit situations with their manager. They had failed to secure a single point from the past six matches when they were losing since the match to Bournemouth last April, when a late effort snatched a draw.

When they were behind at the stadium after conceding two goals in a short span, as Nottingham Forest reversed a controversial opening period opener, Manchester United were facing defeat.

The inquiry to the manager after his side recovered to draw could not have been any clearer.

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

The response was equally forceful.

"Yes, and by more goals, that is my feeling."

We can never know the reality. What we do know that Amad Diallo showed why the coach picks him at defensive wing by flashing home a sensational volleyed strike from just outside the penalty area late in the game to secure a point.

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

The resolve, the will, the unwillingness to surrender are intangibles.

In this game, Amorim believed his squad showed they have got better at that as well.

"Previously, if we had this kind of bad five minutes and we suffered two goals, we wouldn't bounce back," said Amorim. "Today is a different feeling. You can sense we might not triumph in the match but we are not going to lose. And this represents a feeling a major club sometimes must possess."

The manager didn't say it, but the signing of the Brazilian forward and the winger likely contributed.

Cunha is not one to shy away from difficult situations, quite the reverse indeed. In the first half, when he was booed by the local supporters for what they believed was his gamesmanship, he reacted - rather than ignore it - pointing to the crest on his shorts.

Mbeumo is a hustle-bustle menace, the perfect example of a player who will not give an rival any rest.

Amorim was questioned exactly what had caused the psychological growth. Apart from saying the confidence generated from the prior three successive wins, he didn't really give an answer.

"The confidence, naturally, is completely changed," he stated. "Following three good games and we have a different assurance. We understand one another better. We communicate increased about this.

"We demonstrated this season we can have difficult periods but suddenly, we produce three strong performances.

"It's essential to remain inside the match until the final 10 minutes. Previously, we could have collapsed completely based on how we performed in the encounter. Today, the impression was not that one."

Uncertainty Remains Over Prospects of the striker and the midfielder

If this was a occasion when the team showed their resilience, it was additionally a day that must have left the Dutch forward and the young midfielder even more unsure of their futures in the manager's revamped squad.

In his pre-match media briefing, Amorim said it was likely players who believe they are at risk of missing the World Cup will request transfers in the winter transfer window.

One can reasonably conclude the striker and Mainoo fit into that category. Zirkzee has managed 82 minutes from his 4 Premier League substitute appearances this season. For Mainoo, the total is over two hours from 7.

Neither has started a league match this season and nor were they called upon to be substituted on at the stadium, as United sought a route to recovery into a game they were trailing in from the second half.

"We have a lot of talent on the substitutes but sometimes I have the impression if I'm going to disrupt the game constantly, I'm going to interrupt the rhythm," said the manager. "We were improving during the later stages, so my feeling was not to change the setup with the guys in attack."

Mainoo had a agreement in place to join the Italian club in the final stages of the transfer period but the club would not approve a deal. Zirkzee was coming back from injury but is currently open to the possibility of a move back to Italy.

The situation is complicated by the absence of the winger and the wing-back to the Africa Cup of Nations in the middle of the winter, a period which features a couple of weekday matches which will demand a degree of rotation not previously needed.

Since the final is on January 18th, the duo are expected to be back long before the transfer window closes on February 2nd - which could result in a later resolution than any eager to leave player would like.

"This is about the characteristics of the game," commented Amorim, when asked specifically about the forward and the midfielder. "The players understand it's temporary.

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