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When you cannot triumph, don't lose - as the proverb states.

Before their trip to Forest, Man Utd had gained only 8 points from deficit situations with their manager. They had not got any from the previous six matches when they found themselves behind since the match to AFC Bournemouth last spring, when a last-minute goal secured a tie.

When they found themselves trailing at the City Ground after letting in twice in a couple of minutes, as Nottingham Forest overturned a contentious opening period opener, United were staring down the barrel.

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

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

The response was equally emphatic.

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

We can never know the actual outcome. However, we do know that the young player demonstrated why Amorim selects him at defensive wing by scoring a spectacular first-time volley from near the edge of the penalty area nine minutes from time to secure a point.

It's been clear since the start of the campaign that Manchester United are performing at a higher level this season. Since the beginning of October, they have also been getting better results.

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

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

"In the past, if we had this kind of bad short period and we suffered a couple of goals, we don't recover," stated Amorim. "Today is a distinct sensation. You can sense we might not triumph in this game but we are determined not to be defeated. And this represents a feeling a major club occasionally has to have."

The manager didn't say it, but the arrival of Matheus Cunha and the winger must have helped.

Cunha is not the type to retreat from difficult situations, quite the reverse indeed. In the first half, when he was booed by the home fans for what they believed was his gamesmanship, he reacted - rather than ignore it - pointing to the crest on his kit.

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

The coach was asked precisely what had caused the mental improvement. Apart from mentioning the confidence gained from the previous three consecutive victories, he didn't really give an explanation.

"The confidence, of course, is completely different," he stated. "We came from three positive performances and we have a different confidence. We understand one another more effectively. We communicate more about these aspects.

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

"We just need to be inside the game until the last moments. Previously, we could have lost everything the way we performed in the game. Now, the feeling was different."

Uncertainty Remains Over Futures of the striker and Mainoo

If this was a day when the team displayed their resilience, it was also a day that likely created the Dutch forward and the young midfielder even more uncertain of their futures in the manager's revamped Manchester United.

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

It is fair to assume Zirkzee and Mainoo fit into that category. The forward has accumulated 82 minutes from his four Premier League cameo roles this season. For Mainoo, the number is 138 from seven.

Not one has started a league match this season and nor were they asked to be substituted on at the stadium, as the team sought a way back into a contest they were trailing in from the 50th minute.

"Our squad includes a lot of quality on the substitutes but at times I have the feeling if I'm going to disrupt the game all the time, I'm going to break something," said Amorim. "We were improving during the later stages, so my instinct was to avoid altering the setup with the players in front."

The midfielder had a agreement in progress to join the Italian club in the final stages of the summer window but the club would not sanction a deal. Zirkzee was returning from injury but is currently open to the possibility of a move back to Serie A.

The circumstances is complicated by the loss of Mbeumo and the wing-back to the Africa Cup of Nations in the middle of December, a time which includes a couple of weekday matches which will demand a degree of squad changes not previously needed.

Since the championship match is on 18 January, the duo should be back well before the signing period closes on February 2nd - which could result in a delayed resolution than any eager to leave player would like.

"It is the demands of the sport," said Amorim, when asked directly about the forward and the midfielder. "They know it's temporary.

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