🔗 Share this article

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

Prior to their journey to Forest, Man Utd had secured only 8 points from deficit situations with Ruben Amorim. They had failed to secure any from the past six games when they trailed since the match to Bournemouth last April, when a late goal secured a tie.

When they found themselves trailing at the City Ground after letting in twice in a short span, as Forest reversed a contentious first-half opener, United were facing defeat.

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

Had that match happened the previous campaign, do you feel you would have lost it?'

The response was equally decisive.

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

We can never know the actual outcome. What we do know that Amad Diallo showed why the coach selects him at defensive wing by flashing home a sensational first-time volley from near the edge of the penalty area nine minutes from time to earn a point.

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

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

In this game, Amorim believed his squad showed they have improved at that as well.

"Previously, if we had this kind of bad five minutes and we suffered two goals, we don't recover," said Amorim. "Now is a distinct feeling. You can sense we might not triumph in the match but we are not going to lose. And that is a feeling a big team occasionally has to have."

Amorim didn't mention it, but the addition of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo probably made a difference.

The attacker is not one to shy away from difficult situations, actually the opposite in fact. In the first half, when he was jeered by the home fans for what they believed was his gamesmanship, he responded - rather than ignore it - gesturing toward the crest on his shorts.

The forward is a hustle-bustle menace, the epitome of a player who will not give an rival a moment's peace.

Amorim was asked exactly what had caused the mental improvement. Apart from mentioning the confidence generated from the previous three successive wins, he didn't really give an explanation.

"Our self-belief, of course, is completely changed," he said. "Following three good games and we have a newfound confidence. We understand one another better. We talk increased about this.

"We demonstrated this season we can have difficult periods but suddenly, we produce three good games.

"It's essential to be inside the game until the final 10 minutes. Previously, we could have collapsed completely the way we played the game. Now, the impression was different."

Doubt Remains Over Prospects of Zirkzee and Mainoo

If this was a day when United showed their resilience, it was additionally a day that likely created the Dutch forward and the young midfielder even more unsure of their roles in the manager's new-look Manchester United.

In his pre-match press conference, the coach stated it was possible players who believe they are at danger of not making the international tournament will request transfers in the January signing period.

One can reasonably conclude the striker and Mainoo fit into that category. The forward has managed 82 minutes from his four Premier League substitute appearances in the current campaign. For Mainoo, the number is over two hours from 7.

Neither has begun a Premier League match so far and nor were they asked to come off the bench at the City Ground, as the team chased a way back into a contest they were losing from the second half.

"We have a great deal of talent on the bench but sometimes I have the feeling if I'm going to disrupt the flow all the time, I'm going to interrupt something," explained the manager. "We were improving during the second half, so my feeling was not to change the setup with the guys in front."

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

The situation is complicated by the absence of the winger and Amad to the Africa Cup of Nations in the midst of December, a time which includes a few midweek games which will demand a degree of rotation unseen before.

Since the championship match is on 18 January, the duo are expected to be back long before the signing period closes on 2 February - which may mean a later outcome than any eager to leave player would like.

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

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