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If you can't triumph, avoid defeat - as the proverb states.

Before their journey to Forest, Man Utd had earned just 8 points from deficit situations with Ruben Amorim. They had not got any from the past six games when they were losing since the trip to AFC Bournemouth last April, when a last-minute goal snatched a draw.

When they found themselves trailing at the City Ground after letting in two goals in a couple of minutes, as Forest overturned a contentious opening period opener, United were staring down the barrel.

The question to the manager after his side fought back to tie could not have been more direct.

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

The answer was equally forceful.

"Yes, and by more goals, that is my feeling."

We can never know the actual outcome. What we do know that the young player demonstrated why the coach picks him at wing-back by scoring a sensational volleyed strike from just outside the penalty area nine minutes from time to secure a draw.

It has been obvious since the beginning of the season that United are playing better this term. Since the beginning of October, they have additionally been achieving more positive outcomes.

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

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

"In the past, if we had such a poor five minutes and we conceded two goals, we don't recover," said the coach. "Today is a different feeling. It's evident we might not triumph in the match but we are determined not to be defeated. And this represents a mindset a major club occasionally has to have."

The manager didn't say it, but the addition of Matheus Cunha and the winger must have helped.

Cunha is not one to shy away from difficult situations, on the contrary in fact. In the first half, when he was booed by the home fans for what they believed was his tactical play, he reacted - instead of ignoring them - gesturing toward the badge on his kit.

Mbeumo is a energetic nuisance, the perfect example of a footballer who will not give an rival any rest.

The coach was questioned precisely what had led to the mental improvement. Beyond saying the confidence generated from the previous three consecutive victories, he didn't really give an answer.

"Our self-belief, of course, is completely different," he said. "Following three positive performances and we have a different confidence. We understand each other more effectively. We communicate increased about this.

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

"It's essential to remain engaged in the match until the final 10 minutes. In the past, we could have collapsed completely based on how we performed in the encounter. Today, the feeling was not that one."

Doubt Lingers Over Futures of the striker and Mainoo

If this was a day when United showed their resilience, it was additionally a day that likely created Joshua Zirkzee and the young midfielder increasingly unsure of their roles in the manager's new-look Manchester United.

In his pre-match media briefing, the coach said it was likely players who think they are at risk of missing the World Cup will request transfers in the January transfer window.

It is fair to assume the striker and Mainoo fit into that bracket. The forward has accumulated less than two full games from his four top-flight substitute appearances in the current campaign. For the young player, the total is over two hours from 7.

Neither has begun a league game so far and nor were they asked to come off the bench at the stadium, as United sought a way back into a game they were losing from the second half.

"Our squad includes a lot of quality on the substitutes but at times I have the feeling if I'm going to stop the flow constantly, I'm going to break something," explained the manager. "We were improving during the second half, so my instinct was to avoid altering the setup with the guys in front."

Mainoo had a deal in place to move to Napoli in the last days of the transfer period but the club would not approve a transfer. The striker was coming back from a fitness issue but is currently open to the possibility of a return to Serie A.

The situation is complicated by the loss of Mbeumo and the wing-back to the Africa Cup of Nations in the middle of December, a time which features a couple of midweek games which will require a degree of rotation unseen before.

Since the final is on 18 January, the pair are expected to be back well before the signing period closes on February 2nd - which may mean a delayed outcome than any eager to leave player would like.

"This is about the characteristics of the sport," said 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 lot of games."