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If you can't triumph, avoid defeat - so the old saying goes.

Prior to their trip to Forest, Man Utd had secured merely 8 points from deficit situations under their manager. They had not got a single point from the previous six games when they found themselves behind since the trip to AFC Bournemouth last April, when a last-minute effort secured a tie.

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

The question to Amorim after his side fought back to tie could not have been more straightforward.

'If that game happened last season, do you believe it would have ended in defeat?'

The response was just as emphatic.

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

It's impossible to determine the reality. However, we do know that the young player showed why Amorim selects him at defensive wing by flashing home a sensational volleyed strike from near the edge of the penalty area nine minutes from time to secure a point.

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

The determination, the will, the unwillingness to surrender are unquantifiables.

In this match, the manager felt his players showed they have improved at that as well.

"In the past, if we had this kind of bad five minutes and we conceded two goals, we don't recover," stated the coach. "Today is a different feeling. It's evident we might not win the match but we are determined not to be defeated. And that is a mindset a big team sometimes must possess."

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

The attacker is not one to shy away from challenging circumstances, on the contrary indeed. In the opening period, when he was booed by the local supporters for what they believed was his gamesmanship, he responded - rather than ignore it - gesturing toward the badge on his shorts.

The forward is a constant threat, the epitome of a footballer who will never allow an rival a moment's peace.

Amorim was questioned precisely what had led to the mental improvement. Apart from saying the confidence gained from the prior three successive wins, he didn't really give an explanation.

"The confidence, of course, is completely changed," he stated. "Following three positive performances and we have a different assurance. We understand one another more effectively. We communicate increased about these aspects.

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

"It's essential to remain inside the game until the last moments. In the past, we could have lost everything the way we performed in the game. Today, the feeling was not that one."

Doubt Remains Over Futures of the striker and Mainoo

While this represented a occasion when the team displayed their resilience, it was additionally a moment that likely created the Dutch forward and Kobbie Mainoo even more uncertain of their roles in Amorim's revamped Manchester United.

In his pre-match media briefing, Amorim said it was likely players who believe they are at danger of missing the international tournament will request transfers in the January transfer window.

One can reasonably conclude the striker and Mainoo fall into that bracket. The forward has accumulated 82 minutes from his four Premier League substitute appearances in the current campaign. For Mainoo, the number is 138 from seven.

Neither has started a league game this season and neither were they called upon to be substituted on at the stadium, as United sought a way back into a contest they were losing from the 50th minute.

"We have a great deal of quality on the substitutes but at times I have the impression if I'm going to disrupt the game constantly, I'm going to break something," said Amorim. "We were improving during the second half, so my feeling was to avoid altering the setup with the guys in attack."

Mainoo had a deal in place to join the Italian club in the last days of the transfer period but United would not sanction a deal. The striker was coming back from injury but is now open to the possibility of a return to Serie A.

The situation is complicated by the loss of the winger and Amad to the Africa Cup of Nations in the middle of the winter, a period which features a couple of weekday matches which will demand a degree of squad changes unseen before.

Since the final is on 18 January, the pair should be back well before the signing period ends on 2 February - which may mean a later outcome than what eager to leave player would like.

"It is the characteristics of the game," commented the coach, when asked directly about the forward and the midfielder. "They know it's just a moment.

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