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When you cannot triumph, don't lose - as the proverb states.

Before their visit to Forest, Man Utd had earned just eight points from deficit situations with Ruben Amorim. They had failed to secure any from the previous six matches when they found themselves behind since the match to Bournemouth last spring, when a late goal secured a tie.

When they found themselves trailing at the City Ground after letting in twice in a couple of minutes, as Nottingham Forest reversed a contentious opening period opener, Manchester United were facing defeat.

The inquiry to Amorim after his side recovered to tie could not have been any clearer.

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

The response was just as emphatic.

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

We can never know the actual outcome. However, we do know that Amad Diallo showed why the coach picks him at wing-back by scoring a brilliant volleyed strike from just outside the box nine minutes from time to secure a point.

It has been obvious since the start of the season that Manchester United are performing at a higher level this season. Since the start of October, they have also been achieving more positive outcomes.

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

In this game, Amorim felt his players showed they have got better at that too.

"Previously, if we had this kind of bad five minutes and we conceded two goals, we wouldn't bounce back," said Amorim. "Now is a different feeling. It's evident we could not triumph in the match but we are determined not to be defeated. And this represents a feeling a major club sometimes has to have."

Amorim didn't mention it, but the addition of the Brazilian forward and Bryan Mbeumo probably made a difference.

The attacker is not one to shy away from challenging circumstances, quite the reverse indeed. In the opening period, when he was jeered by the home fans for what they felt was his gamesmanship, he reacted - instead of ignoring them - pointing to the crest on his kit.

The forward is a energetic nuisance, the epitome of a player who will not give an opponent any rest.

Amorim was asked precisely what had caused the mental improvement. Beyond saying the confidence generated from the prior three consecutive victories, he didn't really give an answer.

"Our self-belief, of course, is completely different," he said. "We came from three positive performances and we have a newfound confidence. The players comprehend each other better. We communicate more about these aspects.

"We proved this season we can experience bad moments but then, we produce three good games.

"We just need to remain engaged in the game until the final 10 minutes. Previously, we could have collapsed completely the way we played the encounter. Now, the impression was not that one."

Doubt Lingers Over Futures of Zirkzee and the midfielder

If this was a day when the team displayed their fighting spirit, it was additionally a day that must have left the Dutch forward and the young midfielder increasingly unsure of their futures in the manager's new-look Manchester United.

In his pre-match press conference, Amorim said it was possible players who think they are at danger of not making the World Cup will ask to leave in the winter signing period.

It is fair to assume Zirkzee and the midfielder fit into that bracket. Zirkzee has accumulated 82 minutes from his 4 top-flight cameo roles in the current campaign. For Mainoo, the total is 138 from 7.

Not one has started a Premier League game so far and neither were they asked to be substituted on at the stadium, as the team sought a route to recovery into a game they were losing from the second half.

"Our squad includes a lot of quality on the substitutes but at times I have the impression if I'm going to stop the flow all the time, I'm going to break the rhythm," explained the manager. "We were improving during the second half, so my instinct was not to change anything with the guys in front."

The midfielder had a agreement in progress to join the Italian club in the final stages of the summer window but United would not approve a transfer. The striker was returning from a fitness issue but is now considering the possibility of a return to Italy.

The circumstances is complicated by the absence of Mbeumo and the wing-back to the continental tournament in the middle of the winter, a period which includes a few weekday matches which will demand a level of rotation unseen before.

Since the final is on January 18th, the duo should be back well before the signing period ends on February 2nd - which may mean a later resolution than what wantaway individual would prefer.

"It is the demands of the game," commented the coach, when questioned specifically about the forward and the midfielder. "The players understand it's only a phase.

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