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

Prior to their visit to Nottingham Forest, Manchester United had earned only 8 points from losing positions under their manager. They had failed to secure a single point from the past six matches when they found themselves behind since the match to Bournemouth last April, when a last-minute goal snatched a tie.

When they went down at the City Ground after letting in twice in a short span, as Nottingham Forest reversed a controversial first-half goal, United were in serious trouble.

The question to Amorim after his side recovered to tie could not have been more straightforward.

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

The answer was just as decisive.

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

We can never know the reality. However, we do know that the young player demonstrated why the coach selects him at defensive wing by flashing home a brilliant first-time volley from near the edge of the penalty area late in the game to secure a point.

It has been obvious since the start of the season that United are playing better this season. Since the start of October, they have also been achieving more positive outcomes.

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

In this match, the manager felt his squad demonstrated they have got better at that too.

"In the past, if we had such a poor short period and we suffered two goals, we don't recover," stated Amorim. "Today is a distinct feeling. You can sense we could not win the match but we are not going to lose. And this represents a feeling a big team sometimes must possess."

Amorim didn't mention it, but the arrival of the Brazilian forward and the winger likely contributed.

The attacker is not the type to retreat from challenging circumstances, quite the reverse in fact. In the opening period, when he was jeered by the home fans for what they felt was his tactical play, he responded - rather than ignore it - gesturing toward the badge on his shorts.

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

The coach was questioned exactly what had caused the psychological growth. Apart from saying the confidence gained from the prior three successive wins, he didn't really give an explanation.

"Our self-belief, naturally, is totally changed," he said. "We came from three positive performances and we have a newfound assurance. We understand each other more effectively. We talk more about these aspects.

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

"It's essential to be inside the match until the final 10 minutes. Previously, we could have collapsed completely based on how we performed in the game. Now, the impression was different."

Doubt Remains Regarding Futures of Zirkzee and Mainoo

If this was a day when United showed their fighting spirit, it was additionally a moment that likely created Joshua Zirkzee and the young midfielder even more uncertain of their futures in Amorim's revamped Manchester United.

In his pre-match press conference, the coach said it was likely players who think they are at danger of missing the international tournament will ask to leave in the winter transfer window.

It is fair to assume the striker and the midfielder fit into that bracket. Zirkzee has accumulated less than two full games from his 4 top-flight substitute appearances in the current campaign. For Mainoo, the total is over two hours from seven.

Neither has started a league match this season and nor were they called upon to come off the bench at the stadium, as the team sought a route to recovery into a contest they were trailing in from the second half.

"Our squad includes a lot of talent on the substitutes but sometimes I have the feeling if I'm going to disrupt the game constantly, I'm going to interrupt something," said Amorim. "We were improving during the later stages, so my feeling was to avoid altering anything with the players in front."

The midfielder had a deal in progress to move to the Italian club in the last days of the transfer period but United would not approve a transfer. The striker was coming back from a fitness issue but is now considering the idea of a move back to Italy.

The situation is complicated by the loss of Mbeumo and the wing-back to the Africa Cup of Nations in the middle of the winter, a period which features a few midweek games which will require a level of rotation not previously needed.

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

"It is the demands of the game," commented the coach, when questioned directly about the forward and the midfielder. "The players understand it's temporary.

"It isn't related to ability - and we have a lot of games."