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If you can't win, don't lose - as the proverb states.

Prior to their journey to Nottingham Forest, Manchester United had secured just 8 points from deficit situations under their manager. They had not got any from the previous six matches when they were losing since the match to AFC Bournemouth last spring, when a late effort snatched a tie.

When they went down at the City Ground after conceding twice in a short span, as Nottingham Forest reversed a disputed opening period opener, United were in serious trouble.

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

Had that match occurred the previous campaign, do you believe you would have lost it?'

The answer was equally emphatic.

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

We can never know the reality. What we do know that the young player showed why Amorim picks him at defensive wing by scoring a spectacular first-time volley from near the edge of the box late in the game to secure a point.

It's been clear since the beginning of the season that United are playing better this term. Since the beginning of October, they have also been achieving more positive outcomes.

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

In this match, Amorim felt his squad demonstrated they have got better at that as well.

"Previously, if we had such a poor five minutes and we suffered two goals, we wouldn't bounce back," stated the coach. "Today is a distinct feeling. You can sense we might not triumph in the match but we are determined not to be defeated. And this represents a feeling a big team sometimes has to have."

The manager didn't mention it, but the addition of the Brazilian forward and the winger must have helped.

Cunha is not one to shy away from difficult situations, quite the reverse in fact. In the first half, when he was booed by the home fans for what they felt was his gamesmanship, he reacted - instead of ignoring them - pointing to the badge on his kit.

The forward is a energetic nuisance, the epitome of a footballer who will never allow an rival a moment's peace.

The coach was questioned exactly what had led to the mental improvement. Apart from saying the self-belief gained from the prior three successive wins, he didn't really give an explanation.

"Our self-belief, of course, is completely changed," he stated. "We came from three positive performances and we have a different confidence. The players comprehend one another more effectively. We talk increased about these aspects.

"We proved this season we can have bad moments but then, we have three good games.

"It's essential to be inside the game until the final 10 minutes. In the past, we could have collapsed completely the way we performed in the encounter. Today, the feeling was different."

Uncertainty Remains Over Futures of the striker and Mainoo

If this was a occasion when United displayed their resilience, it was additionally a day that must have left Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo even more unsure of their roles in Amorim's revamped squad.

In his before the game press conference, Amorim said it was likely players who believe they are at risk of missing the international tournament will request transfers in the January transfer window.

One can reasonably conclude Zirkzee and the midfielder fall into that bracket. Zirkzee has managed 82 minutes from his 4 Premier League cameo roles in the current campaign. For the young player, the number is 138 from 7.

Not one has started a Premier League game so far and neither were they asked to come off the bench at the City Ground, as the team chased a route to recovery into a game they were losing from the second half.

"Our squad includes a lot of quality on the bench but at times I have the impression if I'm going to disrupt the flow constantly, I'm going to interrupt the rhythm," said the manager. "Our performance was getting better during the second half, so my instinct was to avoid altering anything with the guys in attack."

Mainoo had a agreement in place to move to Napoli in the last days of the transfer period but United would not sanction a transfer. Zirkzee was coming back from a fitness issue but is currently considering the possibility of a move back to Serie A.

The circumstances is complicated by the loss of the winger and the wing-back to the continental tournament in the middle of the winter, a period which includes a couple of weekday matches which will require a level of squad changes unseen before.

Since the championship match is on January 18th, the duo are expected to be returned long before the transfer window closes on 2 February - which could result in a delayed outcome than what eager to leave individual would prefer.

"It is the demands of the game," commented the coach, when questioned specifically about the forward and Mainoo. "They know it's only a phase.

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