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When you cannot win, don't lose - as the proverb states.

Before their visit to Forest, Manchester United had secured merely 8 points from losing positions under Ruben Amorim. They had failed to secure any from the past six matches when they were losing since the match to AFC Bournemouth last April, when a late effort secured a tie.

When they found themselves trailing at the stadium after conceding two goals in a short span, as Nottingham Forest reversed a controversial opening period opener, United were staring down the barrel.

The inquiry to Amorim after his side fought back to draw could not have been more direct.

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

The response was just as decisive.

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

We can never know the actual outcome. What we do know that Amad Diallo showed why the coach selects him at defensive wing by flashing home a brilliant volleyed strike from just outside the penalty area late in the game to earn a point.

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

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

In this match, the manager believed his players showed they have got better at that too.

"In the past, if we had this kind of bad short period and we suffered two goals, we don't recover," said Amorim. "Now is a different sensation. You can sense we might not triumph in the match but we are determined not to be defeated. And this represents a mindset a major club sometimes has to have."

The manager didn't say it, but the addition of Matheus Cunha and the winger must have helped.

The attacker is not one to shy away from challenging circumstances, quite the reverse indeed. In the first half, when he was booed by the home fans for what they felt was his gamesmanship, he responded - rather than ignore it - gesturing toward the crest on his shorts.

Mbeumo is a hustle-bustle menace, the perfect example of a footballer who will never allow an rival any rest.

Amorim was asked exactly what had caused the psychological growth. Apart from mentioning the self-belief generated from the previous three consecutive victories, he didn't really give an explanation.

"The confidence, naturally, is totally changed," he said. "We came from three good games and we have a newfound confidence. The players comprehend each other more effectively. We talk more about these aspects.

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

"It's essential to remain engaged in the match until the final 10 minutes. In the past, we could have collapsed completely the way we performed in the encounter. Now, the impression was not that one."

Doubt Lingers Over Futures of Zirkzee and the midfielder

If this was a day when the team showed their fighting spirit, it was also a day that must have left Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo increasingly uncertain of their futures in Amorim's new-look Manchester United.

In his before the game media briefing, the coach said it was likely members of the squad who believe they are at risk of not making the international tournament will request transfers in the winter signing period.

One can reasonably conclude the striker and Mainoo fit into that bracket. Zirkzee has accumulated less than two full games from his 4 top-flight cameo roles in the current campaign. For Mainoo, the total is 138 from 7.

Not one has started a league game so far and neither were they asked to be substituted on at the City Ground, as the team chased a route to recovery into a contest they were trailing in from the 50th minute.

"We have a lot of quality on the substitutes but sometimes I have the impression if I'm going to disrupt the flow all the time, I'm going to break the rhythm," said Amorim. "We were improving during the later stages, so my feeling was not to change anything with the players in attack."

Mainoo had a deal 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 injury but is currently open to the idea of a return to Serie A.

The circumstances is made more complex by the loss of the winger and the wing-back to the Africa Cup of Nations in the midst of the winter, a period which includes a couple of midweek games which will demand a degree of rotation 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 outcome than any eager to leave individual would like.

"It is the characteristics of the game," said the coach, when questioned specifically about Zirkzee and the midfielder. "The players understand it's temporary.

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