{'A Different Sensation' - Did Man Utd Exhibited a Attitude Change?

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

Before their journey to Forest, Manchester United had gained only 8 points from deficit situations under Ruben Amorim. They had failed to secure a single point from the past six games when they were losing since the match to Bournemouth last April, when a late goal snatched a draw.

When they were behind at the City Ground after letting in twice in a short span, as Nottingham Forest overturned a contentious first-half opener, Manchester United were in serious trouble.

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

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

The response was just as decisive.

"Yes, 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 defensive wing by scoring a brilliant volleyed strike from near the edge of the penalty area nine minutes from time to earn a point.

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

The resolve, the desire, the unwillingness to surrender are unquantifiables.

In this game, Amorim felt his players showed they have got better at that too.

"Previously, if we had this kind of poor short period and we conceded two goals, we wouldn't bounce back," stated the coach. "Today is a different feeling. You can sense we could not triumph in this game but we are not going to lose. And this represents a feeling a major club occasionally has to have."

The manager didn't mention it, but the arrival of the Brazilian forward and Bryan Mbeumo must have helped.

The attacker is not one to shy away from challenging circumstances, actually the opposite indeed. In the first half, when he was booed by the local supporters for what they believed was his gamesmanship, he reacted - instead of ignoring them - pointing to the badge on his kit.

The forward is a energetic nuisance, the perfect example of a player who will not give an rival a moment's peace.

The coach was asked precisely what had led to the mental improvement. Apart from saying the confidence gained from the previous three consecutive victories, he didn't provide an explanation.

"Our self-belief, naturally, is totally changed," he stated. "Following three positive performances and we have a newfound confidence. The players comprehend one another more effectively. We talk more about these aspects.

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

"We just need to be inside the match until the last moments. In the past, we could have lost everything based on how we performed in the encounter. Now, the feeling was not that one."

Doubt Lingers Over Futures of Zirkzee and the midfielder

If this was a occasion when United displayed their resilience, it was additionally a moment that must have left Joshua Zirkzee and the young midfielder even more uncertain of their futures in the manager's revamped squad.

In his before the game press conference, Amorim stated it was possible players who believe they are at risk of not making the World Cup will request transfers in the January transfer window.

It is fair to assume the striker and the midfielder fall into that category. The forward has managed less than two full games from his four top-flight substitute appearances in the current campaign. For Mainoo, the number is 138 from seven.

Not one has begun a league match this season and neither were they called upon to come off the bench at the stadium, as the team sought a route to recovery into a contest they were losing from the second half.

"We have a lot of talent on the substitutes but at times I have the impression if I'm going to stop the game constantly, I'm going to break the rhythm," said the manager. "Our performance was getting better during the second half, so my feeling was to avoid altering anything with the guys in attack."

Mainoo had a agreement in progress to move to Napoli in the final stages of the summer window but the club would not sanction a transfer. The striker was returning from a fitness issue but is now considering the idea of a move back to Italy.

The circumstances is made more complex by the absence of the winger and the wing-back to the Africa Cup of Nations in the middle of the winter, a period which includes a couple of weekday matches which will demand a degree of rotation unseen before.

Since the final is on 18 January, the duo are expected to be returned long before the transfer window closes on 2 February - which may mean a delayed outcome than any eager to leave player would prefer.

"It is the characteristics of the sport," commented Amorim, when questioned specifically about Zirkzee and Mainoo. "They know it's just a moment.

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