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

Before their trip to Forest, Manchester United had earned only 8 points from losing positions with their manager. They had failed to secure any from the previous six games when they were losing since the trip to Bournemouth last April, when a last-minute effort secured a draw.

When they were behind at the City Ground after letting in twice in a couple of minutes, as Forest overturned a contentious first-half goal, United were in serious trouble.

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

'If that game occurred last season, do you believe it would have ended in defeat?'

The response was just as decisive.

"Yes, and by more goals, in my opinion."

We can never know the reality. However, we do know that the young player showed why the coach selects him at defensive wing by flashing home a brilliant volleyed strike from near the edge of the box late in the game to earn a point.

It's been clear since the beginning of the season that Manchester United are playing better this term. Since the start of autumn, they have additionally been achieving more positive outcomes.

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

In this game, the manager felt his players showed they have got better at that too.

"Previously, if we had this kind of bad short period and we suffered two goals, we wouldn't bounce back," said the coach. "Today is a different sensation. It's evident we could not triumph in this game but we are not going to lose. And that is a feeling a major club occasionally must possess."

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

The attacker is not the type to retreat from difficult situations, on the contrary indeed. In the opening period, when he was booed by the home fans for what they believed was his gamesmanship, he reacted - instead of ignoring them - gesturing toward the badge on his shorts.

The forward is a constant threat, the perfect example of a player who will not give an rival any rest.

Amorim was questioned precisely what had led to the psychological growth. Apart from mentioning the confidence generated from the previous three consecutive victories, he didn't provide an answer.

"Our self-belief, of course, is totally changed," he said. "We came from three good games and we have a different assurance. The players comprehend one another better. We talk more about this.

"We demonstrated this season we can have bad moments but then, we produce three good games.

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

Uncertainty Remains Over Prospects of the striker and Mainoo

If this was a occasion when the team displayed their fighting spirit, it was also a day that must have left Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo increasingly unsure of their roles in the manager's new-look Manchester United.

In his pre-match press conference, Amorim stated it was possible members of the squad who think they are at danger of missing the World Cup will ask to leave in the January signing period.

One can reasonably conclude Zirkzee and the midfielder fall into that category. Zirkzee has accumulated less than two full games from his four Premier League substitute appearances this season. For Mainoo, the number is over two hours from 7.

Not one has started a Premier League match so far and nor were they asked to come off the bench at the stadium, as United chased a way back into a contest they were losing from the second half.

"Our squad includes a great deal of talent on the substitutes but sometimes I have the impression if I'm going to disrupt the game constantly, I'm going to break the rhythm," explained the manager. "We were improving during the second half, so my instinct was to avoid altering the setup with the guys in attack."

Mainoo had a agreement in progress to move to Napoli in the final stages of the summer window but the club would not approve a deal. The striker was coming back from a fitness issue but is now open to the possibility of a return to Serie A.

The circumstances is complicated by the absence of Mbeumo and Amad to the continental tournament in the midst of the winter, a period which includes a few weekday matches which will demand a level of squad changes unseen before.

As the championship match is on January 18th, the duo are expected to be back well before the transfer window closes on February 2nd - which could result in a delayed resolution than what wantaway individual would prefer.

"It is the characteristics of the sport," commented the coach, when asked directly about Zirkzee and Mainoo. "They know it's temporary.

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