‘A different feeling’ – Have Manchester United shown a shift in mentality under Ruben Amorim?

If you can’t win, don’t lose – so the old saying goes.

Ahead of their trip to Nottingham Forest, Manchester United had picked up just eight points from losing positions under Ruben Amorim. They have got nothing from the past six games as they find themselves trailing since the trip to Bournemouth last April, when Rasmus Hoglund snatched a last-minute equaliser.

When they found themselves trailing at the City Ground after conceding two goals in as few minutes as Forest overturned a controversial first-half opener, United were staring down the barrel.

The question posed to Amorim after his team recovered from the draw was clearer.

“If that game had happened last season, do you feel you would have lost it?”

The answer was equally emphatic.

“Yes, and by a greater goal difference, that is my feeling.”

We can never know the truth. What we do know is that Amad Diallo showed why Amorim chose him at full-back by curling in a stunning shot from outside the box nine minutes from time to earn a point.

It has been clear since the start of the season that United are playing better this season. Since the beginning of October, they have also had better results.

Determination, desire and refusal to give up cannot be measured.

And in this match, Amorim felt his players showed they were getting better at that as well.

“In the past, if we had that kind of bad five minutes and got two goals, we didn’t recover,” Amorim said.

He added, “Today is a different feeling. You can feel that we could not win this match, but we will not lose. This is a feeling that a great team should feel sometimes.”