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If you can't triumph, don't lose - as the proverb states.

Before their journey to Nottingham Forest, Man Utd had earned just eight points from deficit situations with Ruben Amorim. They had failed to secure a single point from the previous six matches when they trailed since the trip to Bournemouth last spring, when a late effort snatched a tie.

When they found themselves trailing at the stadium after letting in twice in a short span, as Forest overturned a disputed opening period goal, Manchester United were facing defeat.

The question to Amorim after his side fought back to draw could not have been any clearer.

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

The answer was equally decisive.

"Absolutely, and by a larger margin, in my opinion."

We can never know the actual outcome. What we do know that Amad Diallo showed why the coach selects him at wing-back by scoring a brilliant volleyed strike from near the edge of the box late in the game to earn a point.

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

The determination, the desire, the refusal to give in are unquantifiables.

In this match, the manager believed his players demonstrated they have improved at that as well.

"Previously, if we had this kind of bad five minutes and we suffered two goals, we wouldn't bounce back," stated the coach. "Now is a different feeling. It's evident we could not win this game but we are not going to lose. And this represents a mindset a big team occasionally must possess."

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

The attacker is not one to shy away from difficult situations, on the contrary in fact. In the first half, when he was jeered by the home fans for what they felt was his tactical play, he reacted - instead of ignoring them - gesturing toward the badge on his shorts.

Mbeumo is a energetic nuisance, the perfect example of a footballer who will never allow an rival any rest.

The coach was asked precisely what had led to the mental improvement. Apart from saying the confidence generated from the prior three successive wins, he didn't provide an explanation.

"Our self-belief, naturally, is totally changed," he said. "We came from three good games and we have a newfound assurance. We understand one another more effectively. We communicate more about this.

"We demonstrated this year we can have difficult periods but suddenly, we have three strong performances.

"It's essential to remain engaged in the game until the last moments. Previously, we could have lost everything based on how we played the encounter. Today, the feeling was not that one."

Uncertainty Lingers Over Prospects of Zirkzee and Mainoo

If this was a occasion when United displayed their fighting spirit, it was also a day that must have left the Dutch forward and Kobbie Mainoo increasingly uncertain of their futures in Amorim's new-look squad.

In his before the game media briefing, Amorim said it was possible 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 Zirkzee and the midfielder fit into that bracket. The forward has accumulated 82 minutes from his 4 Premier League substitute appearances this season. For Mainoo, the total is 138 from 7.

Not one has started a league match this season and neither were they asked to be substituted on at the City Ground, as United sought a route to recovery into a game they were losing from the second half.

"We have a great deal of quality on the bench but at times I have the impression if I'm going to stop the flow all the time, I'm going to interrupt something," said the manager. "We were improving during the second half, so my instinct was to avoid altering the setup with the players in attack."

Mainoo had a agreement in place to join the Italian club in the last days of the transfer period but the club would not approve a transfer. The striker was coming back from a fitness issue but is now open to the idea of a move back to Serie A.

The situation is made more complex by the absence of Mbeumo and the wing-back to the Africa Cup of Nations in the midst of the winter, a period which features a few weekday matches which will require a degree of squad changes unseen before.

As the final is on January 18th, the pair are expected to be back long before the signing period closes on February 2nd - which may mean a delayed outcome than any eager to leave individual would like.

"It is the characteristics of the sport," said Amorim, when questioned directly about the forward and the midfielder. "They know it's only a phase.

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