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If you can't win, avoid defeat - according to traditional wisdom.

Before their trip to Nottingham Forest, Man Utd had secured only 8 points from deficit situations with Ruben Amorim. They had failed to secure any from the previous six games when they were losing since the trip to Bournemouth last spring, when a late effort snatched a draw.

When they went down at the stadium after conceding twice in a short span, as Forest overturned a controversial first-half goal, Manchester United were staring down the barrel.

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

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

The response was just as emphatic.

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

We can never know the actual outcome. However, we do know that the young player showed why Amorim selects him at defensive wing by flashing home a spectacular first-time volley from just outside the box late in the game to earn a draw.

It's been clear since the start of the campaign that United are performing at a higher level this term. Since the beginning of autumn, they have also been getting better results.

The resolve, the will, the refusal to give in are unquantifiables.

In this match, the manager felt his squad demonstrated they have improved at that as well.

"In the past, if we had such a poor five minutes and we conceded two goals, we don't recover," said Amorim. "Today is a distinct feeling. You can sense we could not win this game but we are determined not to be defeated. And that is a feeling a big team occasionally must possess."

Amorim didn't mention it, but the arrival of the Brazilian forward and the winger must have helped.

Cunha is not one to shy away from difficult situations, on the contrary in fact. In the first half, when he was jeered by the home fans for what they felt was his gamesmanship, he responded - instead of ignoring them - 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 asked precisely what had caused the mental improvement. Beyond saying the self-belief generated from the previous three consecutive victories, he didn't provide an explanation.

"Our self-belief, naturally, is completely changed," he stated. "We came from three good games and we have a different assurance. We understand each other more effectively. We communicate increased about these aspects.

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

"It's essential to remain engaged in the game until the last moments. Previously, we could have collapsed completely the way we performed in the game. Today, the impression was different."

Uncertainty Remains Regarding Futures of the striker and Mainoo

While this represented a occasion when the team displayed their resilience, it was also a moment that must have left the Dutch forward and Kobbie Mainoo increasingly uncertain of their roles in the manager's new-look Manchester United.

In his pre-match press conference, Amorim stated it was likely players who think they are at risk of missing the international tournament will ask to leave in the January transfer window.

It is fair to assume Zirkzee and the midfielder fall into that category. Zirkzee has accumulated 82 minutes from his 4 top-flight cameo roles this season. For Mainoo, the total is over two hours from seven.

Neither has started a Premier League game this season and nor were they asked to be substituted on at the City Ground, as United chased a route to recovery into a contest they were losing from the 50th minute.

"Our squad includes a lot of talent on the bench but sometimes I have the impression if I'm going to disrupt the flow all the time, I'm going to interrupt the rhythm," explained the manager. "Our performance was getting better during the second half, so my feeling was not to change anything with the guys in front."

The midfielder had a deal in place to join the Italian club in the final stages of the summer window but United would not approve a deal. Zirkzee was coming back from a fitness issue but is now open to the possibility of a move back to Italy.

The circumstances is made more complex by the absence of Mbeumo and Amad to the Africa Cup of Nations in the midst of the winter, a period which includes a couple of midweek games which will demand a level of squad changes not previously needed.

As the final is on January 18th, the pair are expected to be returned well before the transfer window closes on February 2nd - which may mean a delayed outcome than any wantaway player would like.

"This is about the characteristics of the game," commented Amorim, when asked specifically about the forward and the midfielder. "They know it's temporary.

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