{'A Different Sensation' - Did Man Utd Demonstrated a Mentality Transformation?

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

Before their visit to Nottingham Forest, Man Utd had secured merely eight points from deficit situations with their manager. They had not got a single point from the previous six games when they trailed since the match to AFC Bournemouth last spring, when a last-minute goal secured a draw.

When they found themselves trailing at the stadium after letting in two goals in a short span, as Forest overturned a contentious opening period goal, Manchester United were in serious trouble.

The question to the manager after his side recovered to draw could not have been any clearer.

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

The response was just as decisive.

"Absolutely, and by a larger margin, in my opinion."

We can never know the actual outcome. However, we do know that Amad Diallo showed why Amorim selects him at defensive wing by scoring a brilliant volleyed strike from just outside the penalty area nine minutes from time to earn a point.

It's been clear since the start of the campaign that United are performing at a higher level this season. Since the start of autumn, they have additionally been getting better results.

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

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

"In the past, if we had this kind of bad short period and we suffered two goals, we don't recover," said Amorim. "Now is a distinct feeling. You can sense we could not triumph in the match but we are determined not to be defeated. And this represents a mindset a major club sometimes has to have."

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

Cunha 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 felt was his tactical play, he reacted - rather than ignore it - gesturing toward the badge on his kit.

The forward is a constant threat, the epitome of a player who will never allow an opponent any rest.

Amorim was asked precisely what had led to the mental improvement. Apart from saying the confidence generated from the prior three consecutive victories, he didn't really give an explanation.

"The confidence, of course, is totally different," he stated. "We came from three good games and we have a newfound confidence. We understand one another more effectively. We talk more about these aspects.

"We demonstrated this year we can experience difficult periods but then, we have three good games.

"We just need to remain engaged in the match until the final 10 minutes. Previously, we could have lost everything based on how we performed in the game. Now, the feeling was not that one."

Uncertainty Remains Over Prospects of Zirkzee and the midfielder

While this represented a occasion when United showed their fighting spirit, it was also a day that must have left the Dutch forward 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 stated it was possible players who think they are at danger of missing the international tournament will ask to leave in the winter transfer window.

One can reasonably conclude the striker and Mainoo fit into that bracket. Zirkzee has managed 82 minutes from his four top-flight substitute appearances in the current campaign. For the young player, the number is over two hours from 7.

Not one has started a league game this season and neither were they asked to be substituted on at the stadium, as United chased a route to recovery into a contest they were trailing in from the second half.

"We have a lot of talent on the bench but at times I have the impression if I'm going to disrupt the game all the time, I'm going to interrupt the rhythm," said the manager. "We were improving during the second half, so my feeling was not to change anything with the players in attack."

The midfielder had a agreement in place to join Napoli in the final stages of the summer window but United would not approve a deal. The striker was coming back from injury but is currently considering the idea of a move back to Italy.

The situation is made more complex by the absence of the winger and the wing-back to the continental tournament in the middle of the winter, a period which includes a couple of midweek games which will require a level of squad changes unseen before.

Since the championship match is on January 18th, the duo are expected to be back long before the transfer window closes on February 2nd - which could result in a delayed resolution than what wantaway individual would prefer.

"This is about the demands of the sport," commented Amorim, when questioned specifically about the forward and the midfielder. "They know it's only a phase.

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