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

Prior to their visit to Forest, Man Utd had earned only eight points from deficit situations under Ruben Amorim. They had failed to secure any from the previous six games when they trailed since the match to AFC Bournemouth last spring, when a late effort snatched a draw.

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

The inquiry to the manager after his side fought back to draw could not have been any clearer.

'If that game happened the previous campaign, do you feel you would have lost it?'

The answer was equally forceful.

"Absolutely, and by more goals, that is my feeling."

We can never know the reality. What we do know that the young player showed why the coach selects him at wing-back by flashing home a brilliant first-time volley from near the edge of the penalty area late in the game to earn a draw.

It's been clear since the beginning of the season that Manchester United are playing better this season. Since the start 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 players showed they have got better at that as well.

"Previously, if we had such a bad short period and we conceded a couple of goals, we wouldn't bounce back," stated the coach. "Today is a different feeling. It's evident we could not win this game but we are determined not to be defeated. And this represents a feeling a major club occasionally must possess."

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

Cunha is not the type to retreat from challenging circumstances, actually the opposite indeed. In the first half, when he was jeered by the home fans for what they believed was his gamesmanship, he reacted - instead of ignoring them - pointing to the badge on his shorts.

The forward is a hustle-bustle menace, the perfect example of a footballer who will not give an opponent a moment's peace.

The coach was asked exactly what had led to the mental improvement. Beyond saying the self-belief gained from the previous three successive wins, he didn't provide an answer.

"The confidence, naturally, is totally changed," he said. "Following three good games and we have a different confidence. We understand one another more effectively. We communicate more about this.

"We proved this season we can have bad moments but suddenly, we have three strong performances.

"It's essential to remain inside the game until the last moments. In the past, we could have lost everything based on how we played the encounter. Now, the feeling was not that one."

Doubt Lingers Regarding Futures of the striker and the midfielder

While this represented a day when United displayed their resilience, it was additionally a moment that likely created the Dutch forward and Kobbie Mainoo even more unsure of their roles in the manager's revamped Manchester United.

In his pre-match press conference, the coach said it was likely members of the squad who think they are at risk of not making the international tournament will request transfers in the January signing period.

One can reasonably conclude Zirkzee and Mainoo fit into that category. Zirkzee has managed less than two full games from his four Premier League cameo roles in the current campaign. For Mainoo, the total is 138 from seven.

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

"We have a great deal of talent on the substitutes but sometimes I have the impression if I'm going to stop the flow constantly, I'm going to interrupt the rhythm," said the manager. "Our performance was getting better during the second half, so my instinct was to avoid altering anything with the guys in attack."

The midfielder had a agreement in place to join Napoli in the final stages of the summer window but United would not sanction a transfer. Zirkzee was returning from a fitness issue but is currently open to the idea of a return to Italy.

The situation is made more complex by the loss of Mbeumo and Amad to the Africa Cup of Nations in the middle of December, a period which includes a couple of midweek games which will demand a level of rotation not previously needed.

Since the final is on January 18th, the duo are expected to be back long before the signing period ends on February 2nd - which may mean a delayed resolution than any eager to leave player would like.

"This is about the demands of the sport," said Amorim, when questioned specifically 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."