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If you can't win, avoid defeat - as the proverb states.

Before their visit to Forest, Man Utd had gained just 8 points from losing positions with Ruben Amorim. They had not got any from the previous six matches when they were losing since the trip to AFC Bournemouth last spring, when a last-minute goal secured a tie.

When they found themselves trailing at the City Ground after letting in twice in a short span, as Forest overturned a controversial first-half opener, Manchester United were staring down the barrel.

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

'If that game occurred the previous campaign, do you believe you would have lost it?'

The answer was just as decisive.

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

It's impossible to determine the reality. What we do know that the young player demonstrated why Amorim picks him at wing-back by flashing home a spectacular first-time volley from just outside the box late in the game to secure a point.

It has been obvious since the start of the campaign that Manchester United are performing at a higher level this term. Since the beginning of October, they have additionally been getting better results.

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

In this game, Amorim believed his squad demonstrated they have improved at that too.

"In the past, if we had this kind of bad five minutes and we suffered two goals, we wouldn't bounce back," said Amorim. "Today is a different feeling. It's evident we could not triumph in the match but we are not going to lose. And that is a mindset a major club sometimes has to have."

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

Cunha is not one to shy away from challenging circumstances, quite the reverse in fact. In the opening period, when he was booed by the local supporters for what they felt was his tactical play, he reacted - instead of ignoring them - pointing to the crest on his kit.

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

The coach was asked precisely what had led to the mental improvement. Apart from saying the self-belief generated from the prior three successive wins, he didn't really give an explanation.

"Our self-belief, of course, is completely different," he said. "Following three good games and we have a newfound assurance. We understand one another better. We communicate more about these aspects.

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

"It's essential to be inside the match until the last moments. In the past, we could have lost everything the way we played the encounter. Now, the feeling was not that one."

Doubt Lingers Regarding Prospects of Zirkzee and Mainoo

While this represented a occasion when United displayed 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 revamped Manchester United.

In his before the game media briefing, Amorim said it was likely players who think they are at danger of missing the World Cup will ask to leave in the winter signing period.

It is fair to assume Zirkzee and the midfielder fit into that bracket. Zirkzee has accumulated less than two full games from his four Premier League substitute appearances this season. For Mainoo, the total is over two hours from seven.

Not one has begun a Premier League match this season and neither were they asked to be substituted on at the stadium, as the team chased a route to recovery into a game they were losing from the second half.

"Our squad includes a great deal of quality on the substitutes but at times I have the feeling if I'm going to disrupt the game constantly, I'm going to break the rhythm," said the manager. "We were improving during the second half, so my instinct was not to change the setup with the players in attack."

The midfielder had a deal in progress to join Napoli in the last days of the summer window but United would not approve a transfer. The striker was coming back from injury but is currently open to the idea of a return to Italy.

The situation is made more complex by the absence of the winger and the wing-back to the Africa Cup of Nations in the middle of the winter, a time which includes a few midweek games which will demand a degree of rotation not previously needed.

Since the final is on 18 January, the pair should be back well before the signing period closes on 2 February - which may mean a later resolution than what wantaway player would like.

"This is about the demands of the sport," said Amorim, when questioned specifically about Zirkzee and Mainoo. "The players understand it's only a phase.

"It isn't related to quality - and we have a lot of fixtures."