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

Prior to their visit to Forest, Manchester United had earned just eight points from deficit situations with their manager. They had failed to secure a single point from the previous six games when they were losing since the match to Bournemouth last spring, when a last-minute goal secured a draw.

When they were behind at the City Ground after conceding twice in a couple of minutes, as Forest overturned a contentious first-half goal, Manchester United were in serious trouble.

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

'If that game happened the previous campaign, do you feel you would have lost it?'

The response was equally decisive.

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

It's impossible to determine the actual outcome. What we do know that the young player showed why the coach picks him at wing-back by scoring a spectacular volleyed strike from near the edge of the box nine minutes from time to earn a point.

It's been clear since the start of the campaign that Manchester United are performing at a higher level this season. Since the start of October, they have additionally been achieving more positive outcomes.

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

In this match, Amorim felt his squad demonstrated they have got better at that as well.

"In the past, if we had such a bad short period and we suffered a couple of goals, we don't recover," stated Amorim. "Today is a distinct sensation. It's evident we might not win this game but we are not going to lose. And this represents a mindset a major club sometimes has to have."

Amorim didn't say it, but the signing of the Brazilian forward and the winger probably made a difference.

Cunha is not the type to retreat from difficult situations, on the contrary in fact. In the opening period, when he was booed by the home fans for what they believed was his tactical play, he reacted - instead of ignoring them - pointing to the crest on his shorts.

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

The coach was questioned exactly what had caused the mental improvement. Beyond saying the self-belief gained from the previous three successive wins, he didn't provide an answer.

"The confidence, naturally, is completely different," he stated. "Following three positive performances and we have a different assurance. The players comprehend one another better. We communicate increased about this.

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

"It's essential to be engaged in the game until the last moments. Previously, we could have lost everything the way we played the game. Today, the impression was different."

Uncertainty Lingers Over Futures of the striker and the midfielder

If this was a day when United showed their resilience, it was also a day that must have left the Dutch forward and the young midfielder even more uncertain of their roles in the manager's revamped squad.

In his before the game media briefing, the coach said it was possible members of the squad who think they are at risk of missing the World Cup will request transfers in the January transfer window.

One can reasonably conclude Zirkzee and the midfielder fit into that bracket. The forward has accumulated less than two full games from his four Premier League substitute appearances in the current campaign. For Mainoo, the total is over two hours from seven.

Not one has started a league match this season and nor were they called upon to be substituted on at the stadium, as the team chased a route to recovery into a contest they were trailing in from the 50th minute.

"We have a great deal of quality on the bench but at times I have the impression if I'm going to stop the game all the time, I'm going to interrupt something," said the manager. "We were improving during the later stages, so my instinct was not to change anything with the guys in front."

The midfielder had a deal in place to move to Napoli in the last days of the summer window but the club would not approve a deal. The striker was coming back from a fitness issue but is currently open to the possibility of a return to Serie A.

The circumstances is complicated by the loss of Mbeumo and Amad to the Africa Cup of Nations in the middle of December, a period which includes a few weekday matches which will demand a degree of squad changes not previously needed.

As the final is on January 18th, the pair are expected to be back well before the transfer window ends on February 2nd - which could result in a delayed outcome than what wantaway player would prefer.

"It is the demands of the sport," said Amorim, when questioned specifically about Zirkzee and Mainoo. "They know it's just a moment.

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