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

Prior to their journey to Forest, Man Utd had secured just 8 points from losing positions under their manager. They had failed to secure a single point from the previous six games when they trailed since the match to AFC Bournemouth last spring, when a last-minute effort snatched a tie.

When they found themselves trailing at the City Ground after conceding two goals in a couple of minutes, as Forest reversed a contentious first-half goal, Manchester United were in serious trouble.

The question to Amorim after his side fought back to tie could not have been more straightforward.

Had that match happened last season, 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 reality. However, we do know that the young player demonstrated why the coach selects him at defensive wing by scoring a spectacular first-time volley from near the edge of the box late in the game to secure a draw.

It's been clear since the start of the campaign that United are performing at a higher level this term. Since the beginning of autumn, they have also been getting better results.

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

In this match, the manager felt his squad showed they have improved at that too.

"In the past, if we had this kind of poor short period and we conceded a couple of goals, we don't recover," said the coach. "Now is a distinct sensation. You can sense we might not triumph in this game but we are not going to lose. And this represents a mindset a big team occasionally has to have."

The manager didn't mention it, but the addition of the Brazilian forward and Bryan Mbeumo must have helped.

Cunha is not the type to retreat from difficult situations, quite the reverse in fact. In the first half, when he was jeered by the home fans for what they believed was his tactical play, he responded - instead of ignoring them - pointing to the badge on his shorts.

The forward is a energetic nuisance, the epitome of a footballer who will never allow an opponent a moment's peace.

Amorim was asked precisely what had caused the psychological growth. Beyond saying the confidence generated from the prior three successive wins, he didn't really give an explanation.

"Our self-belief, of course, is completely changed," he stated. "Following three good games and we have a newfound assurance. We understand one another more effectively. We talk increased about these aspects.

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

"It's essential to remain inside the match until the last moments. In the past, we could have lost everything based on how we played the encounter. Now, the feeling was not that one."

Uncertainty Lingers Over Prospects of the striker and the midfielder

If this was a day when United showed their resilience, it was additionally a day that likely created Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo even more uncertain of their futures in the manager's revamped Manchester United.

In his before the game press conference, the coach stated it was possible players who think they are at danger of not making the international tournament will ask to leave 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 Premier League cameo roles this season. For the young player, the total is over two hours from seven.

Neither has started a league match this season and neither were they called upon to come off the bench at the City Ground, as the team sought a route to recovery into a contest they were trailing in from the 50th minute.

"We have a great deal of quality on the bench but sometimes I have the impression if I'm going to stop the flow constantly, I'm going to break something," said Amorim. "Our performance was getting better during the second half, so my feeling was to avoid altering anything with the players in attack."

Mainoo had a deal in place 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 injury but is now open to the idea of a move back to Italy.

The situation is complicated by the loss of the winger and the wing-back to the Africa Cup of Nations in the middle of December, a time which features a few weekday matches which will require a level of rotation unseen before.

Since the championship match is on 18 January, the pair are expected to be returned well before the transfer window closes on 2 February - which could result in a later outcome than what eager to leave individual would prefer.

"It is the demands of the sport," said the coach, when asked specifically about the forward and Mainoo. "They know it's temporary.

"It isn't related to ability - and we have a many games."