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If you can't win, avoid defeat - as the proverb states.

Before their journey to Nottingham Forest, Manchester United had earned merely 8 points from deficit situations under their manager. They had failed to secure any from the previous six games when they found themselves behind 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 couple of minutes, as Forest reversed a controversial opening period opener, Manchester United were in serious trouble.

The inquiry to the manager after his side fought back to tie could not have been more direct.

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

The response was just as decisive.

"Yes, and by more goals, I believe so."

It's impossible to determine the actual outcome. However, we do know that Amad Diallo demonstrated why the coach selects him at wing-back by flashing home a brilliant volleyed strike from just outside the box 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 term. Since the beginning of October, they have also been achieving more positive outcomes.

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

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

"In the past, if we had such a poor short period and we suffered two goals, we don't recover," said the coach. "Now is a distinct feeling. You can sense we could not win this game but we are not going to lose. And that is a mindset a major club occasionally has to have."

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

The attacker 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 believed was his gamesmanship, he responded - rather than ignore it - pointing to the badge on his kit.

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

The coach was asked exactly what had caused the mental improvement. Beyond mentioning the confidence generated from the prior three successive wins, he didn't provide an answer.

"The confidence, naturally, is totally changed," he stated. "We came from three good games and we have a different assurance. We understand one another more effectively. We communicate more about this.

"We proved this season we can experience bad moments but then, we produce three strong performances.

"We just need to be engaged in the match until the last moments. In the past, we could have collapsed completely the way we performed in the game. Today, the impression was different."

Uncertainty Remains Regarding Prospects of Zirkzee and the midfielder

If this was a day when United showed their resilience, it was additionally a moment that likely created Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo increasingly unsure of their futures in the manager's new-look squad.

In his pre-match media briefing, Amorim stated it was possible members of the squad who believe they are at risk of not making the World Cup will request transfers in the January transfer window.

It is fair to assume Zirkzee and the midfielder fit into that bracket. Zirkzee has accumulated 82 minutes from his four top-flight cameo roles this season. For Mainoo, the total is 138 from seven.

Neither has started a Premier League game this season and nor were they asked to come off the bench at the City Ground, as the team sought a way back into a game they were losing from the 50th minute.

"We have a lot of talent on the bench but at times I have the impression if I'm going to stop the game constantly, I'm going to interrupt something," explained Amorim. "We were improving during the later stages, so my feeling was not to change the setup with the guys in attack."

The midfielder had a agreement in progress to join the Italian club in the last days of the transfer period but United would not sanction a transfer. The striker was coming back from a fitness issue but is currently open to the idea of a move back to Serie A.

The situation is made more complex by the absence of Mbeumo and Amad to the Africa Cup of Nations in the midst of the winter, a period which includes a couple of midweek games which will require a level of rotation unseen before.

As the championship match is on January 18th, the duo should be back well before the transfer window closes on February 2nd - which could result in a delayed resolution than any wantaway player would prefer.

"It is the demands of the sport," said Amorim, when asked directly about the forward and the midfielder. "The players understand it's just a moment.

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