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

Prior to their journey to Forest, Man Utd had secured merely eight points from losing positions with their manager. They had not got a single point from the past six matches when they found themselves behind since the trip to Bournemouth last spring, when a late goal secured a draw.

When they went down at the stadium after conceding twice in a short span, as Nottingham Forest reversed a disputed first-half opener, Manchester United were staring down the barrel.

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

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

The response was equally emphatic.

"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 defensive wing by flashing home a spectacular first-time volley from near the edge of the box nine minutes from time to earn a draw.

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

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

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

"In the past, if we had this kind of poor short period and we suffered 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 that is a mindset a big team occasionally has to have."

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

Cunha is not the type to retreat from challenging circumstances, quite the reverse indeed. In the first half, when he was jeered by the local supporters for what they felt was his gamesmanship, he responded - rather than ignore it - gesturing toward the badge on his shorts.

Mbeumo is a constant threat, the perfect example of a footballer who will not give an rival any rest.

The coach was asked precisely what had led to the psychological growth. Apart from mentioning the confidence generated from the prior three consecutive victories, he didn't provide an answer.

"The confidence, of course, is completely different," he stated. "Following three positive performances and we have a different confidence. We understand one another more effectively. We talk increased about these aspects.

"We proved this season we can have difficult periods but suddenly, we have three good games.

"It's essential to be inside the match until the final 10 minutes. In the past, we could have lost everything based on how we performed in the game. Now, the feeling was not that one."

Doubt Lingers Over Futures of the striker and Mainoo

If this was a occasion when United displayed their resilience, it was additionally a day that must have left Joshua Zirkzee and the young midfielder increasingly uncertain of their futures in the manager's revamped squad.

In his before the game press conference, the coach stated it was likely players who believe they are at danger of missing the World Cup will ask to leave in the winter signing period.

One can reasonably conclude the striker and Mainoo fit into that bracket. Zirkzee has managed less than two full games from his four top-flight cameo roles this season. For the young player, the total is 138 from 7.

Neither has begun a Premier League game this season and nor were they asked to come off the bench at the stadium, as the team sought a route to recovery into a contest they were trailing in from the second half.

"Our squad includes a lot of quality on the bench but sometimes I have the impression if I'm going to stop the game constantly, I'm going to break the rhythm," explained Amorim. "Our performance was getting better during the second half, so my instinct was to avoid altering the setup with the players in front."

Mainoo had a deal in progress to move to Napoli in the final stages of the transfer period but the club would not approve a deal. The striker was coming back from a fitness issue but is now open to the idea of a move back to Italy.

The situation is complicated by the loss of Mbeumo and the wing-back to the continental tournament in the middle of the winter, a time which includes a few weekday matches which will require a degree of squad changes not previously needed.

Since the championship match is on January 18th, the pair are expected to be returned long before the signing period ends on February 2nd - which may mean a later resolution than any wantaway individual would prefer.

"It is the demands of the sport," said the coach, when questioned directly about Zirkzee and Mainoo. "The players understand it's just a moment.

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