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When you cannot triumph, don't lose - according to traditional wisdom.

Prior to their visit to Nottingham Forest, Man Utd had earned merely 8 points from losing positions with Ruben Amorim. They had not got a single point from the past six games when they found themselves behind since the match to Bournemouth last spring, when a last-minute effort secured a tie.

When they went down at the City Ground after conceding two goals in a short span, as Nottingham Forest reversed a disputed first-half opener, Manchester United were facing defeat.

The inquiry to Amorim after his side recovered to tie could not have been more direct.

Had that match happened the previous campaign, do you feel you would have lost it?'

The response was just as emphatic.

"Yes, and by a larger margin, I believe so."

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

It has been obvious since the beginning of the season that United are playing better this season. Since the start of October, they have also been achieving more positive outcomes.

The resolve, the will, the unwillingness to surrender are unquantifiables.

In this game, the manager felt his squad showed they have got better at that too.

"In the past, if we had this kind of bad five minutes and we conceded two goals, we don't recover," said Amorim. "Now is a distinct sensation. You can sense we could not triumph in this game but we are determined not to be defeated. And that is a mindset a big team sometimes has to have."

Amorim didn't mention it, but the signing of the Brazilian forward and the winger must have helped.

Cunha is not the type to retreat from challenging circumstances, actually the opposite indeed. In the opening period, when he was booed by the local supporters for what they felt was his gamesmanship, he responded - instead of ignoring them - pointing to the crest on his kit.

The forward is a energetic nuisance, the perfect example of a player who will never allow an rival any rest.

Amorim was questioned precisely what had led to the psychological growth. Apart from mentioning the self-belief generated from the previous three successive wins, he didn't really give an answer.

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

"We demonstrated this year we can have difficult periods but then, we have three good games.

"It's essential to remain engaged in the game until the last moments. Previously, we could have lost everything the way we performed in the game. Now, the feeling was not that one."

Doubt Remains Over Futures of the striker and the midfielder

If this was a occasion when United displayed their fighting spirit, it was additionally a day that must have left Joshua Zirkzee and the young midfielder even more unsure of their roles in Amorim's new-look Manchester United.

In his pre-match press conference, the coach said it was likely players who think they are at risk of not making the World Cup will request transfers in the January signing period.

It is fair to assume Zirkzee and Mainoo fit into that category. Zirkzee has accumulated less than two full games from his 4 top-flight substitute appearances this season. For the young player, the number is over two hours from 7.

Neither has begun a Premier League game so far and neither were they asked to be substituted on at the stadium, as United chased a way back into a game they were trailing in from the 50th minute.

"Our squad includes a great deal of talent on the substitutes but sometimes I have the impression if I'm going to stop the flow all the time, I'm going to interrupt something," explained Amorim. "We were improving during the second half, so my feeling was to avoid altering anything with the guys in attack."

Mainoo had a deal in place to move to Napoli in the last days of the transfer period but the club would not sanction a transfer. The striker was returning from injury but is now open to the possibility of a move back to Serie A.

The circumstances is complicated by the absence of the winger and Amad to the continental tournament in the midst of the winter, a time which features a couple of weekday matches which will require a level of squad changes unseen before.

As the final is on January 18th, the pair should be returned well before the signing period closes on February 2nd - which may mean a later outcome than any wantaway individual would prefer.

"It is the demands of the game," commented Amorim, when questioned specifically about the forward and the midfielder. "The players understand it's only a phase.

"It isn't related to quality - and we have a lot of fixtures."