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When you cannot win, don't lose - so the old saying goes.

Before their visit to Nottingham Forest, Man Utd had gained only eight points from losing positions under their manager. They had not got any from the previous six games when they were losing since the trip to AFC Bournemouth last spring, when a last-minute goal secured a draw.

When they went down at the City Ground after conceding two goals in a couple of minutes, as Forest reversed a disputed first-half opener, Manchester United were in serious trouble.

The inquiry to Amorim after his side recovered to tie could not have been more direct.

Had that match happened the previous campaign, do you feel it would have ended in defeat?'

The response was equally forceful.

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

We can never know the reality. However, we do know that the young player demonstrated why Amorim selects him at wing-back by scoring a sensational volleyed strike from just outside the penalty area late in the game to secure a draw.

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

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

In this match, Amorim felt his players showed they have improved at that as well.

"In the past, if we had this kind of bad short period and we conceded two goals, we don't recover," stated the coach. "Today is a different feeling. It's evident we might not win the match but we are determined not to be defeated. And that is a mindset a major club occasionally must possess."

Amorim didn't mention it, but the arrival of Matheus Cunha and the winger probably made a difference.

The attacker is not the type to retreat from difficult situations, actually the opposite indeed. In the first half, when he was jeered by the local supporters for what they believed was his gamesmanship, he responded - instead of ignoring them - gesturing toward the crest on his kit.

The forward is a energetic nuisance, the epitome of a player who will not give an rival any rest.

Amorim was asked precisely what had caused the mental improvement. Beyond mentioning the confidence generated from the prior three successive wins, he didn't really give an explanation.

"The confidence, of course, is completely different," he said. "Following three positive performances and we have a newfound confidence. We understand one another better. We communicate more about these aspects.

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

"We just need to be inside the game until the last moments. Previously, we could have lost everything based on how we performed in the encounter. Today, the feeling was not that one."

Doubt Remains Over Futures of Zirkzee and the midfielder

While this represented a occasion when the team showed their resilience, it was additionally a day that must have left Joshua Zirkzee and the young midfielder even more unsure of their roles in Amorim's revamped squad.

In his before the game media briefing, the coach stated it was possible players who believe they are at danger of missing the international tournament will request transfers in the winter transfer window.

It is fair to assume Zirkzee and Mainoo fit into that category. Zirkzee has accumulated less than two full games from his 4 top-flight substitute appearances in the current campaign. For Mainoo, the total is over two hours from 7.

Not one has begun a Premier League game so far and nor were they called upon to come off the bench at the stadium, 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 talent on the substitutes but sometimes I have the impression if I'm going to stop the game constantly, I'm going to interrupt something," explained Amorim. "Our performance was getting better during the second half, so my feeling was to avoid altering anything with the guys in front."

The midfielder had a agreement in progress to move to the Italian club in the last days of the summer window but the club would not sanction a deal. Zirkzee was coming back from injury but is currently open to the possibility of a move back to Italy.

The circumstances is made more complex by the absence of the winger and Amad to the Africa Cup of Nations in the midst of the winter, a period 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 are expected to be back well before the transfer window ends on February 2nd - which could result in a delayed resolution than what wantaway player would like.

"This is about the demands of the sport," said Amorim, when questioned directly about Zirkzee and the midfielder. "They know it's just a moment.

"It's nothing to do with quality - and we have a lot of fixtures."