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If you can't triumph, don't lose - so the old saying goes.

Prior to their trip to Forest, Manchester United had earned just eight points from deficit situations with their manager. They had not got any from the previous six matches when they found themselves behind since the trip to AFC Bournemouth last spring, when a last-minute effort secured a tie.

When they went down at the stadium after letting in two goals in a short span, as Forest overturned a disputed first-half goal, United were facing defeat.

The inquiry to Amorim after his side recovered to draw could not have been any clearer.

'If that game happened the previous campaign, do you believe it would have ended in defeat?'

The response was just as decisive.

"Yes, and by a larger margin, in my opinion."

We can never know the reality. What we do know that the young player showed why the coach picks him at defensive wing by flashing home a brilliant volleyed strike from just outside the box nine minutes from time to earn a point.

It has been obvious since the start of the campaign that United are performing at a higher level this season. Since the beginning of autumn, they have also been achieving more positive outcomes.

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

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

"Previously, if we had this kind of poor short period and we suffered two goals, we don't recover," said Amorim. "Now is a different sensation. You can sense we could not triumph in this game but we are not going to lose. And that is a feeling a major club occasionally has to have."

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

Cunha is not the type to retreat from challenging circumstances, actually the opposite in fact. In the first half, when he was booed by the local supporters for what they felt was his tactical play, he responded - instead of ignoring them - pointing to the crest on his kit.

Mbeumo is a constant threat, the perfect example of a footballer who will never allow an rival a moment's peace.

The coach was questioned precisely what had caused the psychological growth. Beyond saying the confidence generated from the prior three successive wins, he didn't really give an answer.

"Our self-belief, naturally, is completely changed," he said. "We came from three good games and we have a different confidence. The players comprehend each other better. We communicate increased about this.

"We proved this year we can experience bad moments but then, we have three strong performances.

"We just need to remain engaged in the match until the final 10 minutes. Previously, we could have collapsed completely based on how we performed in the encounter. Today, the feeling was not that one."

Doubt Lingers Over Futures of Zirkzee and the midfielder

While this represented a occasion when the team displayed their fighting spirit, it was additionally a day that likely created Joshua Zirkzee and the young midfielder increasingly unsure of their futures in Amorim's new-look Manchester United.

In his before the game press conference, Amorim said it was possible players who think they are at danger of missing the World Cup will request transfers in the January signing period.

One can reasonably conclude the striker and the midfielder fit into that category. The forward has managed less than two full games from his four top-flight cameo roles in the current campaign. For the young player, the total is over two hours from seven.

Neither has started a Premier League match this season and neither were they called upon to come off the bench at the City Ground, as the team chased a route to recovery into a game they were losing from the 50th minute.

"We have a great deal of talent on the substitutes but at times I have the impression if I'm going to stop the flow all the time, I'm going to break something," explained the manager. "We were improving during the second half, so my feeling was to avoid altering anything with the players in front."

Mainoo had a deal in place to join Napoli in the last days of the transfer period but United would not sanction a transfer. Zirkzee was coming back from a fitness issue but is now open to the idea of a move back to Italy.

The circumstances is complicated by the absence of the winger and the wing-back to the continental tournament in the middle of the winter, a period which includes a couple of midweek games which will require a degree of rotation not previously needed.

As the championship match is on 18 January, the pair are expected to be back well before the signing period ends on February 2nd - which could result in a later outcome than any wantaway player would prefer.

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

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