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If you can't win, avoid defeat - so the old saying goes.

Before their trip to Nottingham Forest, Manchester United had secured merely 8 points from losing positions with their manager. They had not got a single point from the previous six games when they were losing since the trip to AFC Bournemouth last April, when a late effort secured a tie.

When they were behind at the stadium after letting in two goals in a short span, as Nottingham Forest overturned a disputed first-half goal, Manchester United were in serious trouble.

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

'If that game happened last season, do you believe you would have lost it?'

The response was just as forceful.

"Absolutely, and by a larger margin, that is my feeling."

We can never know the reality. However, we do know that Amad Diallo showed why the coach selects him at defensive wing by flashing home a spectacular volleyed strike from near the edge of the penalty area late in the game to secure a draw.

It's been clear since the start of the season that United are playing better this term. Since the start of autumn, they have additionally been getting better results.

The resolve, the will, the refusal to give in are intangibles.

In this game, Amorim believed his players showed they have improved at that too.

"In the past, if we had this kind of bad five minutes and we suffered a couple of goals, we wouldn't bounce back," said Amorim. "Now is a distinct feeling. It's evident we could not win the match but we are determined not to be defeated. And that is a feeling a major club sometimes has to have."

The manager didn't mention it, but the addition of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo probably made a difference.

Cunha is not one to shy away from challenging circumstances, on the contrary indeed. In the opening period, 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 kit.

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

Amorim was asked exactly what had led to the mental improvement. Apart from mentioning the self-belief generated from the prior three consecutive victories, he didn't provide an answer.

"Our self-belief, of course, is totally changed," he said. "We came from three good games and we have a different assurance. The players comprehend each other better. We talk more about these aspects.

"We demonstrated this year we can experience difficult periods but then, we produce three strong performances.

"It's essential to be engaged in the game until the last moments. Previously, we could have collapsed completely the way we played the encounter. Now, the impression was not that one."

Uncertainty Remains Regarding Prospects of the striker and the midfielder

If this was a occasion when the team displayed their resilience, it was also a day that must have left Joshua Zirkzee and the young midfielder increasingly uncertain of their futures in the manager's new-look Manchester United.

In his before the game media briefing, Amorim stated it was possible members of the squad who think they are at risk of not making the international tournament will ask to leave in the January transfer window.

One can reasonably conclude the striker and the midfielder fall into that bracket. The forward has managed 82 minutes from his four Premier League cameo roles this season. For the young player, the total is over two hours from seven.

Not one has started a league game so far and nor were they called upon to be substituted on at the stadium, as the team chased a way back into a contest they were losing from the 50th minute.

"Our squad includes a great deal of talent on the bench but sometimes I have the feeling if I'm going to disrupt the flow all the time, I'm going to break something," explained Amorim. "Our performance was getting better during the second half, so my feeling was to avoid altering anything with the guys in attack."

The midfielder had a deal 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 returning from injury but is now open to the idea of a move back to Italy.

The situation is complicated by the absence of the winger and Amad to the continental tournament in the midst of December, a time which includes a couple of weekday matches which will require a degree of squad changes not previously needed.

As the championship match is on 18 January, the duo are expected to be back well before the signing period closes on 2 February - which could result in a delayed resolution than what eager to leave player would like.

"It is the demands of the sport," said the coach, when questioned specifically about the forward and Mainoo. "The players understand it's only a phase.

"It's nothing to do with ability - and we have a many fixtures."