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When you cannot win, avoid defeat - as the proverb states.

Before their visit to Nottingham Forest, Man Utd had earned just eight points from losing positions with their manager. They had not got any from the past six games when they trailed since the trip to Bournemouth last April, when a late goal snatched a tie.

When they were behind at the City Ground after conceding twice in a short span, as Forest overturned a contentious first-half opener, Manchester United were facing defeat.

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

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

The response was just as forceful.

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

We can never know the reality. However, we do know that the young player showed why Amorim picks him at wing-back by scoring a brilliant volleyed strike from near the edge of the box late in the game to secure a draw.

It's been clear since the start of the season that Manchester United are performing at a higher level this term. Since the start of autumn, they have additionally been getting better results.

The resolve, the desire, the unwillingness to surrender are intangibles.

In this game, Amorim felt his players demonstrated they have improved at that as well.

"Previously, if we had this kind of bad five minutes and we suffered two goals, we don't recover," said the coach. "Now is a different sensation. It's evident we could not triumph in the match but we are not going to lose. And this represents a mindset a major club sometimes has to have."

The manager didn't say it, but the arrival of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo likely contributed.

The attacker is not one to shy away from challenging circumstances, on the contrary indeed. In the first half, when he was booed by the home fans for what they believed was his gamesmanship, he reacted - rather than ignore it - pointing to the badge on his shorts.

Mbeumo is a hustle-bustle menace, the epitome of a player who will never allow an rival a moment's peace.

Amorim was questioned precisely what had led to the mental improvement. Beyond saying the confidence generated from the prior three consecutive victories, he didn't provide an answer.

"Our self-belief, naturally, is totally different," he said. "We came from three good games and we have a newfound confidence. The players comprehend one another more effectively. We talk more about these aspects.

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

"It's essential to be engaged in the match until the last moments. Previously, we could have lost everything based on how we played the encounter. Today, the impression was not that one."

Doubt Lingers Over Futures of Zirkzee and Mainoo

If this was a day when the team showed their resilience, it was also a day that likely created Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo even more uncertain of their roles in Amorim's revamped squad.

In his before the game press conference, Amorim stated it was likely members of the squad who think they are at danger of missing the international tournament will request transfers in the winter signing period.

One can reasonably conclude Zirkzee and Mainoo fit into that bracket. Zirkzee has accumulated 82 minutes from his 4 Premier League substitute appearances in the current campaign. For Mainoo, the total is over two hours from seven.

Not one has begun a league match so far and nor were they asked to come off the bench at the stadium, as United sought a route to recovery into a contest they were trailing in from the 50th minute.

"We have a great deal of talent on the substitutes but at times I have the impression if I'm going to stop the game constantly, I'm going to interrupt the rhythm," explained the manager. "Our performance was getting better during the second half, so my feeling was not to change the setup with the players in front."

Mainoo had a deal in progress to move to Napoli in the final stages of the summer window but United would not approve a deal. Zirkzee was coming back from a fitness issue but is now considering the possibility of a return to Serie A.

The situation is complicated by the absence of the winger and the wing-back to the continental tournament in the midst of December, a time which features a few midweek games which will require a degree of rotation not previously needed.

As the championship match is on January 18th, the duo should be back long before the signing period closes on February 2nd - which could result in a later outcome than what eager to leave individual would prefer.

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

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