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When you cannot triumph, avoid defeat - according to traditional wisdom.

Before their journey to Nottingham Forest, Manchester United had secured only 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 April, when a last-minute goal snatched a tie.

When they found themselves trailing at the stadium after conceding twice in a short span, as Forest overturned a controversial first-half opener, Manchester United were staring down the barrel.

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

'If that game happened the previous campaign, do you believe it would have ended in defeat?'

The answer was just as emphatic.

"Absolutely, and by more goals, I believe so."

We can never know the actual outcome. What we do know that Amad Diallo showed why the coach selects him at wing-back 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 beginning of the season that United are playing better this term. Since the start of October, they have also been getting better results.

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

In this game, Amorim felt his squad demonstrated they have got better at that too.

"Previously, if we had this kind of poor short period and we suffered a couple of goals, we don't recover," said Amorim. "Today is a different feeling. You can sense we could not win this game but we are determined not to be defeated. And that is a feeling a big team sometimes must possess."

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

Cunha is not one to shy away from challenging circumstances, actually the opposite in fact. In the opening period, when he was jeered by the local supporters for what they felt was his gamesmanship, he responded - rather than ignore it - pointing to the crest on his kit.

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

The coach was questioned exactly what had caused the psychological growth. Apart from saying the self-belief gained from the prior three consecutive victories, he didn't provide an explanation.

"The confidence, naturally, is completely changed," he said. "Following three positive performances and we have a different assurance. The players comprehend one another more effectively. We communicate more about these aspects.

"We demonstrated this year we can have difficult periods but suddenly, we have three good games.

"It's essential to remain engaged in the match until the last moments. Previously, we could have collapsed completely based on how we performed in the game. Today, the feeling was different."

Uncertainty Remains Over Futures of the striker and Mainoo

While this represented a occasion when United showed their resilience, it was additionally 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 press conference, Amorim stated it was possible players who believe they are at danger of not making the World Cup will ask to leave in the winter signing period.

One can reasonably conclude Zirkzee and the midfielder fall into that bracket. Zirkzee has accumulated less than two full games from his four Premier League cameo roles this season. For the young player, the number is 138 from seven.

Not one has begun a Premier League game this season and neither were they called upon to come off the bench at the City Ground, as the team chased a way back into a game they were losing from the second half.

"Our squad includes a great deal of quality on the substitutes but sometimes I have the impression if I'm going to stop the flow constantly, I'm going to interrupt the rhythm," explained Amorim. "We were improving during the second half, so my feeling was not to change anything with the players in attack."

Mainoo had a deal in progress to join Napoli in the final stages of the transfer period but United would not sanction a transfer. Zirkzee was coming back from injury but is now considering the idea of a return to Serie A.

The circumstances is made more complex by the loss of Mbeumo and the wing-back to the Africa Cup of Nations in the middle of the winter, a period which includes a few weekday matches which will demand a degree of rotation not previously needed.

As the championship match is on 18 January, the duo are expected to be returned well before the transfer window ends on 2 February - which may mean a later outcome than any wantaway player would prefer.

"This is about the characteristics of the sport," said Amorim, when questioned specifically about Zirkzee and Mainoo. "The players understand it's temporary.

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