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When you cannot triumph, don't lose - so the old saying goes.

Prior to their journey to Nottingham Forest, Man Utd had secured merely 8 points from losing positions with Ruben Amorim. They had failed to secure any from the past six matches when they found themselves behind since the trip to Bournemouth last April, when a last-minute effort secured a tie.

When they went down at the stadium after letting in two goals in a short span, as Nottingham Forest reversed a disputed opening period opener, Manchester United were staring down the barrel.

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

'If that game occurred last season, do you feel you would have lost it?'

The answer was just as emphatic.

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

It's impossible to determine the actual outcome. However, we do know that the young player demonstrated why Amorim picks him at defensive wing by flashing home a sensational first-time volley from just outside the box nine minutes from time to secure a point.

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

The determination, the desire, the refusal to give in are unquantifiables.

In this game, Amorim believed his players showed they have got better at that as well.

"Previously, if we had such a bad five minutes and we suffered a couple of goals, we don't recover," said Amorim. "Now is a distinct sensation. It's evident we could not win the match but we are determined not to be defeated. And that is a mindset a major club occasionally has to have."

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

The attacker is not the type to retreat from challenging circumstances, actually the opposite indeed. In the first half, when he was jeered by the home fans for what they believed was his tactical play, he responded - instead of ignoring them - pointing to the badge on his shorts.

Mbeumo is a energetic nuisance, the perfect example of a player who will never allow an rival a moment's peace.

The coach was asked exactly what had caused the mental improvement. Apart from mentioning the self-belief gained from the prior three consecutive victories, he didn't provide an answer.

"Our self-belief, naturally, is completely different," he stated. "We came from three good games and we have a newfound confidence. We understand each other better. We talk more about this.

"We demonstrated this year we can have bad moments but then, we have three strong performances.

"We just need to remain engaged in the match 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 Over Futures of Zirkzee and the midfielder

If this was a occasion when the team showed their fighting spirit, it was additionally a day that likely created Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo increasingly uncertain of their futures in the manager's new-look Manchester United.

In his pre-match media briefing, the coach 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 winter transfer window.

One can reasonably conclude the striker and Mainoo fit into that bracket. The forward has accumulated less than two full games from his four Premier League cameo roles this season. For Mainoo, the total is 138 from 7.

Neither has started a league game so far and nor were they called upon to come off the bench at the stadium, as United chased a way back into a game they were trailing in from the second half.

"We have a great deal of talent on the substitutes but at times I have the impression if I'm going to stop the flow all the time, I'm going to break the rhythm," explained 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 final stages of the transfer period but United would not sanction a deal. The striker was coming back from a fitness issue but is now open to the idea of a move back to Italy.

The situation is complicated by the loss of the winger and Amad to the Africa Cup of Nations in the middle of December, a time which features a few weekday matches which will require a degree of rotation unseen before.

As the final is on 18 January, the duo are expected to be back long before the signing period closes on 2 February - which could result in a later outcome than what wantaway player would like.

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

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