🔗 Share this article

If you can't win, don't lose - as the proverb states.

Before their visit to Forest, Manchester United had earned only 8 points from deficit situations under their manager. They had failed to secure any from the previous six games when they trailed since the match to AFC Bournemouth last spring, when a late effort snatched a draw.

When they were behind at the stadium after letting in two goals in a short span, as Forest reversed a disputed first-half goal, United were facing defeat.

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

'If that game happened the previous campaign, do you believe you would have lost it?'

The response was just as forceful.

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

We can never know the actual outcome. What we do know that Amad Diallo demonstrated why Amorim selects him at wing-back by scoring a spectacular volleyed strike from just outside the penalty area nine minutes from time to earn a draw.

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

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

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

"Previously, if we had this kind of bad five minutes and we conceded a couple of goals, we don't recover," said Amorim. "Today is a different feeling. You can sense we could not win the match but we are not going to lose. And that is a feeling a major club occasionally must possess."

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

The attacker is not the type to retreat from challenging circumstances, actually the opposite indeed. In the opening period, when he was booed by the home fans for what they felt was his gamesmanship, he reacted - rather than ignore it - pointing to the badge on his kit.

Mbeumo is a energetic nuisance, the epitome of a footballer who will never allow an opponent a moment's peace.

The coach was asked precisely what had caused the psychological growth. Beyond saying the confidence gained from the previous three consecutive victories, he didn't really give an answer.

"Our self-belief, naturally, is totally changed," he stated. "Following three good games and we have a newfound confidence. We understand each other more effectively. We talk more about these aspects.

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

"We just need to be engaged in the match until the last moments. In the past, we could have collapsed completely the way we performed in the game. Today, the impression was different."

Uncertainty Remains Regarding Futures of Zirkzee and Mainoo

While this represented a day when the team showed their fighting spirit, it was also a moment that must have left Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo increasingly unsure of their futures in Amorim's new-look squad.

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

One can reasonably conclude Zirkzee and the midfielder fall into that bracket. Zirkzee has accumulated 82 minutes from his four Premier League 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 United sought a way back into a contest they were trailing in from the second half.

"We have a great deal of talent on the substitutes but at times I have the impression if I'm going to disrupt the game all the time, I'm going to interrupt something," explained the manager. "Our performance was getting better during the later stages, so my feeling was to avoid altering anything with the players in front."

The midfielder had a agreement in place to join Napoli in the final stages of the transfer period but the club would not sanction a deal. Zirkzee was coming back from a fitness issue but is now considering the possibility of a return to Italy.

The situation is made more complex by the loss of Mbeumo and the wing-back to the continental tournament in the midst of the winter, a period which includes a few midweek games which will require a degree of rotation unseen before.

Since the final is on 18 January, the pair are expected to be returned long before the signing period closes on February 2nd - which could result in a delayed resolution than what eager to leave individual would prefer.

"It is the characteristics of the sport," commented Amorim, when questioned directly about the forward and Mainoo. "They know it's temporary.

"It isn't related to quality - and we have a lot of games."