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If you can't triumph, avoid defeat - according to traditional wisdom.

Before their journey to Forest, Manchester United had secured merely 8 points from deficit situations under Ruben Amorim. They had failed to secure a single point from the past six games when they found themselves behind since the trip to Bournemouth last spring, when a late goal snatched a draw.

When they went down at the City Ground after conceding twice in a couple of minutes, as Forest overturned a controversial opening period opener, Manchester United were in serious trouble.

The inquiry to the manager after his side fought back to draw could not have been more straightforward.

Had that match occurred the previous campaign, do you feel you would have lost it?'

The response was just as emphatic.

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

It's impossible to determine the actual outcome. What we do know that the young player demonstrated why Amorim picks him at defensive wing by scoring a sensational first-time volley from near the edge of the penalty area nine minutes from time to earn a draw.

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

The determination, the desire, the unwillingness to surrender are intangibles.

In this game, Amorim believed his squad showed they have improved at that too.

"Previously, if we had this kind of poor five minutes and we suffered two goals, we don't recover," said Amorim. "Today is a different sensation. You can sense we might not win this game but we are not going to lose. And that is a mindset a big team occasionally has to have."

The manager didn't say it, but the signing of the Brazilian forward and the winger likely contributed.

Cunha is not the type to retreat from challenging circumstances, on the contrary in fact. In the first half, when he was jeered by the local supporters for what they believed was his tactical play, he reacted - rather than ignore it - gesturing toward the crest on his kit.

Mbeumo is a constant threat, the epitome of a player who will not give an opponent a moment's peace.

The coach was questioned exactly what had caused the psychological growth. Beyond saying the confidence generated from the prior three successive wins, he didn't provide an explanation.

"The confidence, of course, is completely different," he said. "We came from three positive performances and we have a different confidence. We understand each other better. We communicate increased about these aspects.

"We proved this season we can have difficult periods but suddenly, we have three strong performances.

"It's essential to remain engaged in the game until the final 10 minutes. In the past, we could have lost everything the way we played the encounter. Now, the impression was different."

Uncertainty Remains Regarding Futures of Zirkzee and the midfielder

While this represented a day when the team displayed their resilience, it was additionally a moment that likely created Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo even more uncertain of their roles in Amorim's revamped squad.

In his pre-match press conference, the coach stated it was possible players who think they are at danger of missing the World Cup will request transfers in the winter transfer window.

One can reasonably conclude the striker and the midfielder fall into that category. The forward has managed less than two full games from his four Premier League substitute appearances in the current campaign. For Mainoo, the total is over two hours from seven.

Not one has begun a Premier League game this season and neither were they asked to come off the bench at the City Ground, as the team sought a route to recovery into a game they were trailing in from the second half.

"Our squad includes a lot of talent on the bench but at times I have the feeling if I'm going to stop the game constantly, I'm going to interrupt the rhythm," explained the manager. "We were improving during the second half, so my feeling was to avoid altering the setup with the guys in front."

The midfielder had a deal in place to move to the Italian club in the final stages of the transfer period but the club would not sanction a deal. Zirkzee was returning from a fitness issue but is now open to the possibility of a return to Italy.

The circumstances is made more complex by the loss of Mbeumo and the wing-back to the Africa Cup of Nations in the middle of the winter, a period which includes a few weekday matches which will require a level of rotation unseen before.

As the championship match is on 18 January, the pair should be back well before the signing period closes on February 2nd - which could result in a later outcome than what eager to leave individual would prefer.

"It is the characteristics of the game," commented Amorim, when asked directly about Zirkzee and Mainoo. "The players understand it's just a moment.

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