If you can’t win, don’t lose – so the old saying goes.
Before their trip to Nottingham Forest, Manchester United had gained just eight points from losing positions under Ruben Amorim. They had not got any from the past six matches when they found themselves behind since the trip to Bournemouth last April, when Rasmus Hojlund’s last-minute effort snatched a draw.
When they found themselves trailing at the City Ground after conceding twice in a couple of minutes, as Forest overturned a contentious first-half opener, United were staring down the barrel.
The question to Amorim after his side recovered to draw could not have been any clearer.
‘If that game had happened last season, do you feel you would have lost it?’
The answer was equally emphatic.
“Yes, and by more goals, that is my feeling.”
We can never know the reality. What we do know is Amad Diallo showed why Amorim picks him at wing-back by flashing home a sensational first-time volley from just outside the penalty area nine minutes from time to earn a point.
It has been obvious since the start of the season United are playing better this term. Since the beginning of October, they have also been getting better results.
The determination, the desire, the refusal to give in 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 five minutes and we suffered two goals, we don’t recover,” said Amorim.
“Today is a different feeling. You can sense we could not win this game but we are not going to lose. And that is a feeling a big team sometimes has to have.”
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