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

Before their journey to Forest, Man Utd had earned merely 8 points from deficit situations with Ruben Amorim. They had failed to secure a single point from the past six games when they found themselves behind since the match to AFC Bournemouth last spring, when a last-minute effort snatched a draw.

When they were behind 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 tie could not have been more straightforward.

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

The response was just as decisive.

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

We can never know the reality. What we do know that Amad Diallo demonstrated why the coach picks him at defensive wing by scoring a brilliant first-time volley from just outside the box late in the game to earn a draw.

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

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

In this match, Amorim believed his squad demonstrated they have got better at that too.

"In the past, if we had such a poor short period and we conceded a couple of goals, we wouldn't bounce back," said Amorim. "Now is a different sensation. You can sense we might not triumph in the match but we are determined not to be defeated. And this represents a mindset a major club sometimes has to have."

The manager didn't mention it, but the signing of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo likely contributed.

The attacker is not the type to retreat from challenging circumstances, actually the opposite indeed. In the first half, when he was jeered by the local supporters for what they felt was his tactical play, he reacted - instead of ignoring them - gesturing toward the badge on his kit.

The forward is a hustle-bustle menace, the perfect example of a player who will never allow an rival a moment's peace.

The coach was asked precisely what had led to the mental improvement. Beyond mentioning the confidence generated from the previous three successive wins, he didn't provide an answer.

"The confidence, naturally, is totally changed," he stated. "We came from three good games and we have a newfound confidence. The players comprehend each other more effectively. We talk more about this.

"We proved this year we can experience bad moments but then, we produce three good games.

"We just need to remain inside the match until the last moments. Previously, we could have lost everything based on how we played the game. Today, the feeling was different."

Doubt Remains Over Prospects of the striker and the midfielder

While this represented a occasion when the team displayed their fighting spirit, it was also a day that must have left Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo even more unsure of their roles in Amorim's new-look squad.

In his pre-match press conference, the coach said it was possible members of the squad who believe they are at danger of missing the World Cup will ask to leave in the winter signing period.

One can reasonably conclude Zirkzee and Mainoo fit into that category. The forward has accumulated 82 minutes from his 4 top-flight substitute appearances in the current campaign. For Mainoo, the total is over two hours from 7.

Not one has started a Premier League match this season and nor were they called upon to be substituted on at the City Ground, as the team chased a route to recovery into a game they were trailing in from the second half.

"We have a lot of quality on the substitutes but at times I have the impression if I'm going to stop the game constantly, I'm going to interrupt the rhythm," explained Amorim. "We were improving during the second half, so my instinct was not to change 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 approve a deal. Zirkzee was coming back from injury but is now open to the possibility of a move back to Serie A.

The circumstances is made more complex by the loss of Mbeumo and the wing-back to the continental tournament in the middle of December, a time which features a couple of weekday matches which will require a level of rotation unseen before.

Since the final is on January 18th, the duo should be returned well before the signing period ends on 2 February - which may mean a later outcome than any wantaway player would prefer.

"This is about the demands of the sport," commented Amorim, when asked directly about Zirkzee and the midfielder. "They know it's temporary.

"It isn't related to ability - and we have a many fixtures."