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

Before their visit to Nottingham Forest, Man Utd had earned merely 8 points from deficit situations 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 spring, when a last-minute goal snatched a draw.

When they went down at the stadium after conceding two goals in a short span, as Nottingham Forest reversed a controversial opening period opener, United were facing defeat.

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

'If that game happened last season, do you believe you would have lost it?'

The answer was just as decisive.

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

It's impossible to determine the reality. However, we do know that Amad Diallo showed why Amorim picks him at defensive wing by flashing home a spectacular volleyed strike from near the edge of the penalty area nine minutes from time to secure a draw.

It has been obvious 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 achieving more positive outcomes.

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

In this game, the manager believed his players showed they have got better at that as well.

"In the past, if we had this kind of poor five minutes and we suffered two goals, we don't recover," stated the coach. "Now is a distinct feeling. You can sense we might not triumph in this game but we are determined not to be defeated. And that is a feeling a big team sometimes has to have."

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

The attacker is not one to shy away from difficult situations, on the contrary in fact. 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 shorts.

The forward is a hustle-bustle menace, the perfect example of a footballer who will not give an opponent any rest.

The coach was questioned exactly what had caused the mental improvement. Beyond saying the self-belief gained from the previous three consecutive victories, he didn't provide an answer.

"Our self-belief, naturally, is totally changed," he said. "Following three good games and we have a newfound confidence. The players comprehend one another more effectively. We communicate more about this.

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

"It's essential to remain inside the match until the final 10 minutes. In the past, we could have lost everything based on how we performed in the game. Now, the feeling was different."

Uncertainty Lingers Over Futures of Zirkzee and the midfielder

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

In his before the game media briefing, Amorim stated it was possible members of the squad who think they are at danger of not making the international tournament will request transfers in the January transfer window.

One can reasonably conclude Zirkzee and Mainoo fit into that bracket. The forward has managed less than two full games from his 4 top-flight cameo roles in the current campaign. For Mainoo, the total is over two hours from 7.

Neither has started a league game this season and nor were they called upon to be substituted on at the stadium, as United sought a way back into a game they were losing from the second half.

"We have a great deal of quality on the bench but sometimes I have the feeling if I'm going to disrupt the flow constantly, I'm going to interrupt something," said Amorim. "We were improving during the second half, so my instinct was to avoid altering the setup with the guys in attack."

The midfielder had a agreement in place to move to the Italian club in the last days of the transfer period but United would not sanction a deal. Zirkzee was coming back from a fitness issue but is now considering the idea of a move back to Serie A.

The circumstances is made more complex by the loss of the winger and Amad to the Africa Cup of Nations in the midst of December, a time which includes a couple of weekday matches which will demand a level of squad changes not previously needed.

As the final is on January 18th, the pair should be returned well before the transfer window ends on February 2nd - which could result in a delayed outcome than any eager to leave individual would like.

"It is the demands of the sport," said the coach, when asked directly about Zirkzee and Mainoo. "They know it's temporary.

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