🔗 Share this article

If you can't win, avoid defeat - so the old saying goes.

Prior to their journey to Forest, Manchester United had earned only 8 points from losing positions under Ruben Amorim. They had not got any from the past six matches when they found themselves behind since the trip to Bournemouth last spring, when a late effort secured a tie.

When they found themselves trailing at the City Ground after conceding two goals in a couple of minutes, as Forest reversed a controversial opening period goal, Manchester United were facing defeat.

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

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

The answer was equally forceful.

"Absolutely, and by more goals, I believe so."

We can never know the actual outcome. What we do know that the young player demonstrated why Amorim picks him at defensive wing by flashing home a sensational volleyed strike from near the edge of the box nine minutes from time to secure a point.

It's been clear since the start of the season that Manchester United are performing at a higher level this season. Since the beginning of October, they have additionally been achieving more positive outcomes.

The determination, the desire, the refusal to give in are intangibles.

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

"Previously, if we had such a bad five minutes and we conceded two goals, we don't recover," stated Amorim. "Today is a distinct feeling. It's evident we could not triumph in the match but we are not going to lose. And this represents a mindset a major club occasionally has to have."

The manager didn't say it, but the addition of the Brazilian forward and Bryan Mbeumo must have helped.

The attacker is not the type to retreat from challenging circumstances, on the contrary indeed. In the first half, when he was booed by the home fans for what they believed was his tactical play, he responded - instead of ignoring them - pointing to the badge on his shorts.

Mbeumo is a constant threat, 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 psychological growth. Beyond saying the self-belief gained from the prior three consecutive victories, he didn't really give an answer.

"The confidence, of course, is completely different," he said. "We came from three positive performances and we have a newfound confidence. The players comprehend one another better. We talk more about this.

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

"We just need to remain inside the game until the last moments. In the past, we could have lost everything the way we performed in the game. Now, the impression was different."

Uncertainty Remains Over Prospects of Zirkzee and Mainoo

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

In his before the game media briefing, Amorim said it was likely players who believe they are at danger of missing the World Cup will request transfers in the January transfer window.

One can reasonably conclude the striker and the midfielder fall into that bracket. The forward has accumulated 82 minutes from his four top-flight cameo roles this season. For Mainoo, the number is over two hours from seven.

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

"Our squad includes a great deal of quality on the bench but at times I have the feeling 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 later stages, so my feeling was to avoid altering the setup with the players in attack."

The midfielder had a agreement in place to move to Napoli in the final stages of the transfer period but United would not approve a deal. The striker was returning from injury but is currently considering the idea of a return to Italy.

The circumstances is made more complex by the loss of the winger and Amad to the continental tournament in the middle of the winter, a time which features a couple of weekday matches which will require a level of rotation unseen before.

As the championship match is on 18 January, the duo should be returned well before the transfer window ends on 2 February - which could result in a delayed outcome than any eager to leave individual would prefer.

"It is the demands of the game," said Amorim, when questioned specifically about Zirkzee and the midfielder. "They know it's only a phase.

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