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When you cannot win, avoid defeat - according to traditional wisdom.

Before their visit to Forest, Man Utd had gained just 8 points from deficit situations under their manager. They had not got a single point from the past six games when they were losing since the match to AFC Bournemouth last April, when a late goal snatched a tie.

When they went down at the stadium after conceding twice in a short span, as Forest overturned a contentious opening period goal, Manchester United were in serious trouble.

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

Had that match happened last season, do you believe you would have lost it?'

The answer was equally emphatic.

"Yes, and by a larger margin, I believe so."

It's impossible to determine the actual outcome. What we do know that Amad Diallo demonstrated why Amorim picks him at wing-back by scoring a sensational volleyed strike from just outside the penalty area late in the game to secure a point.

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

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

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

"In the past, if we had this kind of poor short period and we conceded two goals, we wouldn't bounce back," said Amorim. "Now is a distinct sensation. You can sense we might not win this game but we are not going to lose. And that is a mindset a major club occasionally must possess."

Amorim didn't say it, but the addition of the Brazilian forward and the winger probably made a difference.

The attacker is not the type to retreat from difficult situations, actually the opposite indeed. In the opening period, when he was jeered by the home fans for what they felt was his gamesmanship, he responded - instead of ignoring them - gesturing toward the crest on his shorts.

The forward is a energetic nuisance, the epitome of a footballer who will not give an rival a moment's peace.

Amorim was asked precisely what had caused the mental improvement. Beyond saying the self-belief gained from the prior three successive wins, he didn't really give an explanation.

"Our self-belief, naturally, is totally changed," he said. "We came from three positive performances and we have a newfound assurance. We understand one another more effectively. We talk increased about these aspects.

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

"It's essential to remain inside the game until the last moments. In the past, we could have collapsed completely based on how we played the encounter. Today, the impression was not that one."

Doubt Remains Over Futures of the striker and Mainoo

While this represented a day when the team displayed their resilience, it was also a day that must have left Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo even more unsure of their futures in Amorim's new-look squad.

In his before the game media briefing, the coach stated it was likely members of the squad who believe they are at danger of not making the international tournament will ask to leave in the winter transfer window.

It is fair to assume Zirkzee and Mainoo fit into that bracket. The forward has accumulated less than two full games from his 4 top-flight cameo roles in the current campaign. For the young player, the total is over two hours from seven.

Neither has begun a Premier League match so far and nor were they asked to be substituted on at the stadium, as the team sought a route to recovery into a contest they were trailing in from the 50th minute.

"We have a lot of quality 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 Amorim. "Our performance was getting better during the later stages, so my instinct was not to change anything with the guys in front."

The midfielder had a deal in progress to join the Italian club in the final stages of the transfer period but the club would not sanction a deal. Zirkzee was coming back from injury but is currently open to the idea of a return to Italy.

The situation is complicated by the absence of the winger and the wing-back to the Africa Cup of Nations in the midst of December, a time which includes a few weekday matches which will demand a level of squad changes not previously needed.

Since the final is on 18 January, the pair are expected to be returned long before the transfer window ends on 2 February - which could result in a later resolution than any eager to leave individual would like.

"This is about the demands of the sport," commented the coach, when asked specifically about Zirkzee and the midfielder. "They know it's just a moment.

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