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If you can't triumph, avoid defeat - so the old saying goes.

Before their trip to Nottingham Forest, Manchester United had secured merely 8 points from losing positions under Ruben Amorim. They had not got a single point from the previous six matches when they trailed since the match to Bournemouth last spring, when a late goal secured a tie.

When they found themselves trailing at the stadium after conceding twice in a couple of minutes, as Nottingham Forest reversed a contentious first-half opener, United were in serious trouble.

The question to the manager after his side recovered to draw could not have been more direct.

Had that match happened the previous campaign, do you believe it would have ended in defeat?'

The answer was equally forceful.

"Absolutely, and by a larger margin, in my opinion."

We can never know the reality. However, we do know that Amad Diallo demonstrated why Amorim picks him at wing-back by scoring a brilliant first-time volley from near the edge of the penalty area late in the game to earn a point.

It has been obvious since the beginning of the season that United are playing better this season. Since the beginning of October, they have additionally been getting better results.

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

In this match, Amorim felt his players showed they have improved at that as well.

"Previously, if we had such a bad five minutes and we conceded a couple of goals, we wouldn't bounce back," stated the coach. "Today is a different sensation. It's evident we could not triumph in the match but we are not going to lose. And that is a feeling a major club occasionally must possess."

Amorim didn't mention it, but the arrival 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 opening period, when he was jeered by the local supporters for what they believed was his tactical play, he reacted - rather than ignore it - pointing to the badge on his shorts.

The forward is a constant threat, the epitome of a footballer who will not give an rival any rest.

The coach was questioned precisely what had led to the mental improvement. Beyond saying the confidence gained from the prior three successive wins, he didn't really give an explanation.

"Our self-belief, naturally, is totally different," he said. "We came from three positive performances and we have a different assurance. The players comprehend one another better. We communicate more about these aspects.

"We demonstrated this season we can have bad moments but suddenly, we have three good games.

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

Uncertainty Remains Regarding Prospects of Zirkzee and Mainoo

If this was a occasion when United showed their resilience, it was also a day that must have left the Dutch forward and the young midfielder increasingly unsure of their futures in the manager's new-look Manchester United.

In his pre-match press conference, Amorim stated it was possible members of the squad who think they are at danger of missing the international tournament will request transfers in the January transfer window.

One can reasonably conclude the striker and Mainoo fit into that category. The forward has managed less than two full games from his four Premier League cameo roles in the current campaign. 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 stadium, as United sought a route to recovery into a contest they were trailing in from the 50th minute.

"Our squad includes a great deal of talent on the substitutes but at times I have the impression if I'm going to stop the flow all the time, I'm going to break something," explained the manager. "Our performance was getting better during the second half, so my instinct was not to change the setup with the guys in attack."

Mainoo had a deal in place to join Napoli in the final stages of the summer window but United would not approve a transfer. Zirkzee was returning from a fitness issue but is currently considering the possibility of a return to Italy.

The circumstances is complicated by the loss of the winger and Amad to the Africa Cup of Nations in the midst of the winter, a time which includes a few midweek games which will demand a level of squad changes not previously needed.

Since the final is on 18 January, the pair are expected to be back long before the transfer window ends on 2 February - which may mean a delayed resolution than what eager to leave player would like.

"This is about the demands of the sport," commented the coach, when questioned directly about the forward and Mainoo. "The players understand it's just a moment.

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