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When you cannot win, avoid defeat - according to traditional wisdom.

Before their journey to Forest, Man Utd had secured merely 8 points from deficit situations with Ruben Amorim. They had failed to secure a single point from the previous six matches when they were losing since the trip to AFC Bournemouth last April, when a last-minute effort secured a tie.

When they went down at the City Ground after conceding two goals in a couple of minutes, as Nottingham Forest reversed a disputed first-half opener, Manchester United were in serious trouble.

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

Had that match occurred the previous campaign, do you believe it would have ended in defeat?'

The answer was just as forceful.

"Yes, and by more goals, in my opinion."

It's impossible to determine the actual outcome. However, we do know that Amad Diallo showed why Amorim picks him at defensive wing by scoring a brilliant first-time volley from just outside the box late in the game to earn a draw.

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

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

In this game, Amorim felt his squad demonstrated they have improved at that too.

"Previously, if we had this kind of bad short period and we conceded a couple of goals, we wouldn't bounce back," said the coach. "Today is a different sensation. You can sense we might not triumph in the match but we are determined not to be defeated. And that is a feeling a big team sometimes must possess."

The manager didn't mention it, but the signing of Matheus Cunha and the winger likely contributed.

Cunha is not one to shy away from difficult situations, on the contrary indeed. In the first half, when he was booed by the local supporters for what they felt was his gamesmanship, he reacted - instead of ignoring them - pointing to the crest on his kit.

Mbeumo is a energetic nuisance, the perfect example of a player who will not give an rival a moment's peace.

The coach was asked precisely what had led to the psychological growth. Apart from mentioning the confidence gained from the previous three successive wins, he didn't provide an explanation.

"The confidence, of course, is totally changed," he said. "We came from three positive performances and we have a newfound confidence. The players comprehend each other more effectively. We communicate more about these aspects.

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

"It's essential to be engaged in the game until the final 10 minutes. In the past, we could have collapsed completely based on how we played the encounter. Now, the feeling was different."

Uncertainty Remains Regarding Prospects of Zirkzee and Mainoo

While this represented a day when United displayed their resilience, it was additionally a moment that likely created Joshua Zirkzee and the young midfielder even more unsure of their roles in Amorim's new-look Manchester United.

In his pre-match media briefing, Amorim stated it was possible players who believe they are at danger of not making the World Cup will ask to leave in the winter transfer window.

It is fair to assume Zirkzee and the midfielder fit into that bracket. Zirkzee has managed 82 minutes from his 4 Premier League substitute appearances this season. For Mainoo, the number is 138 from 7.

Neither has begun a league game so far and neither were they called upon to come off the bench at the City Ground, as United sought a way back into a contest they were trailing in from the second half.

"Our squad includes a lot of talent on the bench but sometimes I have the feeling if I'm going to disrupt the flow constantly, I'm going to interrupt something," said Amorim. "We were improving during the later stages, so my instinct was not to change anything with the players in front."

Mainoo had a deal in place to move to the Italian club in the final stages of the transfer period but the club would not sanction a transfer. The striker was returning from injury but is currently considering the possibility of a move back to Serie A.

The circumstances is made more complex by the absence of the winger and the wing-back to the Africa Cup of Nations in the middle of the winter, a time which features a few midweek games which will demand a degree of squad changes unseen before.

As the championship match is on January 18th, the pair are expected to be returned long before the signing period closes on February 2nd - which could result in a later resolution than any wantaway individual would like.

"It is the demands of the game," said Amorim, when asked specifically about Zirkzee and the midfielder. "The players understand it's temporary.

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