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If you can't triumph, don't lose - according to traditional wisdom.

Prior to their trip to Nottingham Forest, Man Utd had secured just eight points from deficit situations with their manager. They had not got any from the past six games when they found themselves behind since the match to Bournemouth last spring, when a late effort secured a draw.

When they were behind at the City Ground after conceding twice in a couple of minutes, as Forest overturned a controversial opening period opener, United were in serious trouble.

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

Had that match occurred last season, do you believe it would have ended in defeat?'

The response was equally decisive.

"Absolutely, and by a larger margin, in my opinion."

We can never know the actual outcome. What we do know that Amad Diallo showed why Amorim selects him at defensive wing by scoring a brilliant volleyed strike from near the edge of the penalty area nine minutes from time to earn a point.

It has been obvious since the start of the campaign that Manchester United are performing at a higher level this term. Since the beginning 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 got better at that as well.

"Previously, if we had this kind of bad five minutes and we conceded two goals, we don't recover," stated Amorim. "Today is a distinct feeling. You can sense we could not win this game but we are not going to lose. And this represents a feeling a big team occasionally has to have."

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

Cunha is not the type to retreat from challenging circumstances, on the contrary indeed. In the opening period, when he was booed by the local supporters for what they believed was his tactical play, he responded - rather than ignore it - gesturing toward the badge on his kit.

The forward is a hustle-bustle menace, the epitome of a footballer who will never allow an rival any rest.

The coach was questioned precisely what had led to the mental improvement. Beyond saying the confidence gained from the prior three successive wins, he didn't provide an answer.

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

"We demonstrated this season we can experience difficult periods but suddenly, we produce three good games.

"We just need to remain engaged in the match until the final 10 minutes. In the past, we could have lost everything based on how we played the encounter. Today, the feeling was different."

Doubt Remains Regarding Prospects of the striker and Mainoo

If this was a occasion when United showed their resilience, it was additionally a day that likely created the Dutch forward and Kobbie Mainoo increasingly unsure of their futures in the manager's revamped squad.

In his before the game press conference, the coach said it was likely players who think they are at danger of not making the international tournament will ask to leave in the January transfer window.

One can reasonably conclude the striker and Mainoo fall into that bracket. Zirkzee has accumulated less than two full games from his four Premier League substitute appearances this season. For the young player, the number is over two hours from 7.

Not one has begun a Premier League game so far and neither were they asked to be substituted on at the stadium, as the team chased a way back into a game they were trailing in from the 50th minute.

"We have a great deal of talent on the substitutes but sometimes I have the impression if I'm going to stop the flow all the time, I'm going to interrupt the rhythm," explained the manager. "We were improving during the second half, so my instinct was not to change the setup with the players in front."

The midfielder had a deal in progress to move to Napoli in the last days of the summer window but the club would not sanction a deal. Zirkzee was coming back from injury but is now considering the idea of a return to Serie A.

The circumstances is complicated by the loss of Mbeumo and Amad to the continental tournament in the midst of December, a period which features a couple of weekday matches which will demand a degree of squad changes not previously needed.

Since the championship match is on 18 January, the duo are expected to be returned well before the signing period closes on 2 February - which may mean a later resolution than what wantaway individual would like.

"It is the demands of the game," said the coach, 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 games."