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If you can't triumph, don't lose - so the old saying goes.

Prior to their trip to Nottingham Forest, Man Utd had earned just 8 points from losing positions with their manager. They had not got a single point from the previous six games when they found themselves behind since the trip to AFC Bournemouth last April, when a late effort secured a tie.

When they went down at the City Ground after conceding two goals in a short span, as Forest overturned a contentious first-half goal, United were facing defeat.

The inquiry to the manager after his side recovered to draw could not have been more straightforward.

Had that match happened the previous campaign, do you believe you would have lost it?'

The answer was just as forceful.

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

We can never know the actual outcome. What we do know that the young player showed why the coach selects him at wing-back by flashing home a brilliant first-time volley from just outside the box late in the game to secure a point.

It's been clear since the beginning of the campaign that United are playing better this term. Since the start of October, they have additionally been getting better results.

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

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

"In the past, if we had such a poor short period and we conceded two goals, we wouldn't bounce back," said the coach. "Today is a different feeling. You can sense we could not triumph in this game but we are determined not to be defeated. And that is a feeling a major club occasionally has to have."

Amorim didn't say it, but the arrival of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo likely contributed.

Cunha is not one to shy away from difficult situations, 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 - pointing to the badge on his shorts.

The forward is a hustle-bustle menace, the epitome of a player who will never allow an opponent a moment's peace.

Amorim was questioned precisely what had caused the mental improvement. Beyond mentioning the confidence generated from the previous three successive wins, 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 confidence. We understand one another better. We communicate increased about these aspects.

"We proved this season we can experience bad moments but suddenly, we produce three strong performances.

"We just need to be engaged in the match until the last moments. In the past, we could have lost everything the way we played the game. Today, the impression was not that one."

Uncertainty Remains Regarding Futures of the striker and the midfielder

If this was a day when United displayed their fighting spirit, it was also a day that must have left Joshua Zirkzee and the young midfielder even more uncertain of their roles in Amorim's revamped squad.

In his pre-match media briefing, the coach said it was possible members of the squad who think they are at danger of missing the World Cup will request transfers in the January signing period.

It is fair to assume Zirkzee and the midfielder fall into that bracket. Zirkzee has managed 82 minutes from his 4 top-flight cameo roles this season. For the young player, the total is 138 from 7.

Not one has started a Premier League match so far and nor were they asked to come off the bench at the City Ground, as the team sought a way back into a game they were losing from the 50th minute.

"Our squad includes a lot of quality on the bench but sometimes I have the feeling if I'm going to disrupt the flow constantly, I'm going to break something," said the manager. "Our performance was getting better during the later stages, so my feeling was to avoid altering anything with the guys in attack."

The midfielder had a deal in place to move to the Italian club in the last days of the transfer period but United would not sanction a transfer. Zirkzee was coming back from injury but is currently open to the possibility of a return to Serie A.

The situation is complicated by the absence of Mbeumo and Amad to the continental tournament in the middle of the winter, a period which features a few midweek games which will demand a level of rotation unseen before.

As the final is on 18 January, the pair should be back long before the transfer window ends on February 2nd - which may mean a later outcome than any wantaway player would prefer.

"It is the characteristics of the game," commented the coach, when asked directly about the forward and Mainoo. "They know it's only a phase.

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