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If you can't triumph, avoid defeat - as the proverb states.

Before their visit to Forest, Manchester United had earned merely eight points from losing positions under Ruben Amorim. They had not got any from the past six games when they found themselves behind since the trip to AFC Bournemouth last spring, when a last-minute goal secured a tie.

When they found themselves trailing at the stadium after letting in two goals in a couple of minutes, as Nottingham Forest reversed a disputed first-half opener, Manchester United were staring down the barrel.

The inquiry to Amorim after his side fought back to tie could not have been more direct.

Had that match happened last season, do you feel it would have ended in defeat?'

The response was just as decisive.

"Absolutely, and by a larger margin, I believe so."

We can never know the reality. What we do know that the young player demonstrated why the coach picks him at wing-back by scoring a brilliant volleyed strike from near the edge of the penalty area nine minutes from time to secure a draw.

It has been obvious since the beginning of the season that Manchester 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 refusal to give in are unquantifiables.

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

"In the past, if we had such a poor five minutes and we conceded a couple of goals, we don't recover," stated Amorim. "Now is a different feeling. You can sense we could not win this game but we are not going to lose. And that is a mindset a major club occasionally has to have."

The manager didn't say it, but the signing of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo probably made a difference.

Cunha is not the type to retreat from difficult situations, quite the reverse indeed. In the first half, 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 shorts.

Mbeumo is a constant threat, the epitome of a player who will never allow an opponent a moment's peace.

Amorim was questioned precisely what had led to the mental improvement. Apart from saying the confidence generated from the prior three successive wins, he didn't really give an explanation.

"Our self-belief, naturally, is totally changed," he stated. "We came from three good games and we have a different confidence. The players comprehend one another more effectively. We communicate increased about this.

"We demonstrated this season we can have bad moments but then, we have three strong performances.

"We just need to be inside the match until the last moments. In the past, we could have lost everything the way we performed in the encounter. Now, the feeling was different."

Uncertainty Remains Over Prospects of Zirkzee and Mainoo

While this represented a day when United showed their fighting spirit, it was also a day that likely created the Dutch forward and the young midfielder even more uncertain of their futures in the manager's revamped Manchester United.

In his before the game media briefing, Amorim stated it was likely players who believe they are at risk of not making the international tournament will request transfers in the winter signing period.

One can reasonably conclude the striker and Mainoo fit into that bracket. Zirkzee has managed 82 minutes from his 4 top-flight cameo roles in the current campaign. For Mainoo, the number is over two hours from seven.

Neither has started a Premier League game so far and neither 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 50th minute.

"We have a great deal of quality on the bench but at times I have the feeling if I'm going to stop the flow all the time, I'm going to break something," explained Amorim. "Our performance was getting better during the second half, so my feeling was to avoid altering the setup with the players in front."

The midfielder had a agreement in place to move to the Italian club in the final stages of the transfer period but United would not sanction a transfer. The striker was coming back from injury but is currently open to the idea of a return to Serie A.

The situation is complicated by the absence of Mbeumo and Amad to the Africa Cup of Nations in the midst of December, a time which features a few weekday matches which will demand a level of rotation not previously needed.

As the final is on 18 January, the duo should be back long before the transfer window ends on 2 February - which could result in a later outcome than any wantaway individual would like.

"It is the characteristics of the sport," commented the coach, when questioned directly about Zirkzee and Mainoo. "The players understand it's only a phase.

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