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

Prior to their trip to Nottingham Forest, Man Utd had secured only 8 points from losing positions with Ruben Amorim. They had failed to secure a single point from the previous six games when they found themselves behind since the trip to AFC Bournemouth last April, when a last-minute effort snatched a tie.

When they went down at the City Ground after letting in twice in a short span, as Forest overturned a contentious opening period opener, United were facing defeat.

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

'If that game occurred the previous campaign, do you believe you would have lost it?'

The answer was just as forceful.

"Absolutely, and by more goals, in my opinion."

It's impossible to determine the reality. What we do know that Amad Diallo showed why the coach picks him at wing-back by scoring a spectacular volleyed strike from just outside the penalty area late in the game to secure a draw.

It has been obvious since the start of the campaign that Manchester United are performing at a higher level this season. Since the beginning of autumn, they have additionally been getting better results.

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

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

"In the past, if we had this kind of poor short period and we conceded two goals, we don't recover," said the coach. "Today is a distinct sensation. It's evident we might not win the match but we are not going to lose. And this represents a mindset a big team sometimes has to have."

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

Cunha is not the type to retreat from challenging circumstances, on the contrary indeed. In the first half, when he was booed by the local supporters for what they believed was his gamesmanship, he responded - rather than ignore it - pointing to the badge on his shorts.

Mbeumo is a energetic nuisance, the perfect example of a footballer who will not give an rival a moment's peace.

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

"Our self-belief, of course, is completely changed," he stated. "We came from three good games and we have a different assurance. We understand one another more effectively. We communicate increased about this.

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

"We just need to be inside the game until the last moments. Previously, we could have collapsed completely the way we played the encounter. Today, the feeling was different."

Doubt Lingers Over Prospects of the striker and Mainoo

If this was a occasion when the team displayed their fighting spirit, it was also a day that must have left Joshua Zirkzee and the young midfielder increasingly unsure of their roles in Amorim's revamped Manchester United.

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

One can reasonably conclude Zirkzee and Mainoo fall into that category. Zirkzee has accumulated less than two full games from his 4 top-flight substitute appearances in the current campaign. For Mainoo, the total is 138 from seven.

Neither has begun a league game so far and nor were they called upon to come off the bench at the City Ground, as United chased a way back into a contest they were losing from the 50th minute.

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

Mainoo had a agreement in progress to move to the Italian club in the final stages of the summer window but the club would not sanction a deal. The striker was returning from a fitness issue but is currently open to the idea of a move back to Italy.

The situation is made more complex by the loss of Mbeumo and the wing-back to the continental tournament in the midst of December, a time which features a few midweek games which will demand a level of squad changes unseen before.

As the final is on January 18th, the duo should be back well before the transfer window ends on 2 February - which may mean a delayed resolution than what eager to leave individual would prefer.

"It is the characteristics of the sport," commented Amorim, when asked specifically about the forward and the midfielder. "They know it's only a phase.

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