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

Prior to their journey to Nottingham Forest, Man Utd had earned merely eight points from deficit situations under Ruben Amorim. They had failed to secure any from the previous six games when they trailed since the match to Bournemouth last April, when a late goal secured a tie.

When they were behind at the stadium after letting in twice in a couple of minutes, as Forest reversed a controversial opening period opener, Manchester United were in serious trouble.

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

'If that game happened last season, do you believe it would have ended in defeat?'

The answer was equally emphatic.

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

We can never know the actual outcome. What we do know that Amad Diallo demonstrated why Amorim selects him at defensive wing by flashing home a spectacular first-time volley from just outside the penalty area nine minutes from time to secure a draw.

It's been clear since the start of the season that Manchester United are playing better this season. Since the start of autumn, they have additionally been achieving more positive outcomes.

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

In this game, the manager believed his players demonstrated they have improved at that too.

"Previously, if we had this kind of poor five minutes and we conceded a couple of goals, we don't recover," said the coach. "Now is a distinct sensation. You can sense we might not triumph in this game but we are not going to lose. And this represents a feeling a big team sometimes must possess."

Amorim didn't say it, but the signing of Matheus Cunha and the winger must have helped.

Cunha is not the type to retreat from challenging circumstances, quite the reverse in fact. In the first half, when he was booed by the home fans for what they believed was his tactical play, he responded - rather than ignore it - gesturing toward the crest on his shorts.

Mbeumo is a hustle-bustle menace, the perfect example of a footballer who will not give an opponent a moment's peace.

The coach was questioned exactly what had caused the mental improvement. Beyond mentioning the self-belief gained from the prior three consecutive victories, he didn't really give an explanation.

"The confidence, of course, is totally different," he said. "Following three positive performances and we have a newfound assurance. The players comprehend one another more effectively. We communicate more about this.

"We demonstrated this year we can experience difficult periods but then, we produce three strong performances.

"It's essential to be engaged in the match until the final 10 minutes. In the past, we could have lost everything the way we played the encounter. Now, the impression was not that one."

Doubt Remains Regarding Prospects of the striker and the midfielder

While this represented a occasion when the team displayed their fighting spirit, it was also a moment that must have left the Dutch forward and Kobbie Mainoo even more uncertain of their futures in the manager's new-look squad.

In his before the game media briefing, Amorim said it was likely players who think they are at danger of missing the World Cup will request transfers in the January transfer window.

One can reasonably conclude Zirkzee and Mainoo fall into that bracket. Zirkzee has accumulated less than two full games from his four top-flight substitute appearances this season. For Mainoo, the number is 138 from seven.

Neither has begun a Premier League match this season and neither were they asked to come off the bench at the City Ground, as the team sought a route to recovery into a game they were trailing in from the second half.

"Our squad includes a lot of quality on the substitutes but at times I have the feeling if I'm going to stop the game constantly, I'm going to interrupt the rhythm," said Amorim. "Our performance was getting better during the later stages, so my feeling was to avoid altering the setup with the guys in attack."

Mainoo had a agreement in place to join the Italian club in the final stages of the transfer period but the club would not sanction a transfer. The striker was coming back from injury but is now open to the idea of a move back to Serie A.

The circumstances is made more complex by the loss of Mbeumo and Amad to the continental tournament in the midst of the winter, a time which features a few midweek games which will demand a level of rotation unseen before.

Since the championship match is on 18 January, the pair are expected to be returned long before the transfer window closes on February 2nd - which could result in a later resolution than any wantaway player would prefer.

"It is the demands of the sport," commented the coach, when questioned specifically about Zirkzee and the midfielder. "They know it's temporary.

"It isn't related to quality - and we have a lot of fixtures."