🔗 Share this article

When you cannot win, don't lose - according to traditional wisdom.

Before their visit to Forest, Man Utd had earned merely eight points from losing positions under their manager. They had failed to secure a single point from the past six games when they found themselves behind since the match to AFC Bournemouth last spring, when a late effort snatched a tie.

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

The inquiry to the manager after his side fought back to tie could not have been any clearer.

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

The answer was just as emphatic.

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

It's impossible to determine the actual outcome. What we do know that the young player demonstrated why the coach selects him at wing-back by scoring a spectacular volleyed strike from near the edge of the penalty area nine minutes from time to earn a point.

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

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

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

"Previously, if we had such a bad five minutes and we conceded two goals, we don't recover," said the coach. "Now is a different feeling. You can sense we could not win this game but we are determined not to be defeated. And that is a feeling a big team occasionally has to have."

The manager didn't mention it, but the signing of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo must have helped.

The attacker is not one to shy away from difficult situations, actually the opposite indeed. In the opening period, when he was booed by the local supporters for what they believed was his tactical play, he responded - rather than ignore it - pointing to the crest on his kit.

The forward is a hustle-bustle menace, the perfect example of a footballer who will not give an rival any rest.

The coach was questioned exactly what had caused the psychological growth. Beyond mentioning the confidence generated from the prior three consecutive victories, he didn't really give an explanation.

"Our self-belief, of course, is completely changed," he said. "We came from three good games and we have a newfound confidence. The players comprehend each other better. We communicate more about these aspects.

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

"It's essential to remain engaged in the match until the last moments. Previously, we could have lost everything based on how we performed in the game. Now, the feeling was not that one."

Uncertainty Remains Regarding Prospects of the striker and Mainoo

If this was a day when United displayed their resilience, it was additionally a day that likely created the Dutch forward and Kobbie Mainoo even more unsure of their roles in the manager's revamped squad.

In his before the game press conference, Amorim stated it was possible members of the squad who think they are at danger of not making the international tournament will request transfers in the winter signing period.

It is fair to assume Zirkzee and the midfielder fall into that bracket. The forward has managed 82 minutes from his four top-flight cameo roles this season. For Mainoo, the number is 138 from 7.

Neither has begun a Premier League match so far and nor were they asked to be substituted on at the City Ground, as the team chased a route to recovery into a contest they were trailing in from the second half.

"We have a lot of quality on the substitutes but at times I have the feeling if I'm going to disrupt the game all the time, I'm going to interrupt something," said the manager. "Our performance was getting better during the second half, so my feeling was not to change the setup with the players in attack."

Mainoo had a agreement in progress to move to Napoli in the last days of the summer window but United would not sanction a transfer. The striker was coming back from injury but is now open to the possibility of a move back to Serie A.

The circumstances is complicated by the absence of Mbeumo and Amad to the Africa Cup of Nations in the midst of the winter, a period which includes a couple of weekday matches which will demand a degree of rotation not previously needed.

As the championship match is on 18 January, the pair are expected to be back long before the transfer window ends on 2 February - which could result in a later resolution than what eager to leave individual would like.

"It is the demands of the sport," commented the coach, when asked specifically about Zirkzee and Mainoo. "The players understand it's temporary.

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