The vital Man United change that reveals Ruben Amorim’s true progress | OneFootball

There are a myriad of ways to measure Manchester United’s progress, with Ruben Amorim able to learn as much from one point at the City Ground as he would have taken from any of the previous three successive victories.

Simply put, United would have lost this last season. They controlled the first half but, not for the first time under Amorim’s tutelage, were masters of their own downfall in the blink of an eye.

Responding to adversity has been conspicuous by its absence in the 12 months of Amorim’s reign. The City Ground was baying for blood as their team completed a remarkable turnaround early in the second half. United were on the canvas, seemingly waiting for the towel to be thrown in by Amorim.

This, however, is a very different United from the one Amorim inherited 12 months ago.

“In the past, if we had this kind of bad five minutes and we suffered two goals, we didn't recover. Today is a different feeling,” Amorim explained perfectly. “You can sense that we could not win this game, but we are not going to lose. And that is a feeling that a big team sometimes has to have.

“Last season we lose this game, by more goals.”

Possessing starlets who can do what Amad Diallo did nine minutes from time to snatch a point, one that last season would have been beyond United long before the breathtaking volley hit the net, certainly helps.

United have, in fact, been improving since the very first ball was kicked this season. While results didn’t immediately come easily, it was ostensibly clear, from the get-go, that last season was going to be an aberration never to be spoken about again.

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Manchester United's Amad Diallo celebrates scoring his team's second goal (AFP via Getty Images)

You have to go back to 2017-18 for the last time United had more than 16 points after nine games, when they produced 20 under Jose Mourinho.

On paper, the City Ground appeared like the perfect place for them to continue their resurgence back up the table. With new boss Sean Dyche at the helm, Forest came into Saturday’s clash on a four-game losing streak, all without scoring.

The visitors started like a side on the up. Benjamin Sesko should have done better from a Bryan Mbeumo pull-back early on, before the Slovenian arrowed another strike wide.

Home supporters were incensed at the decision to award United the corner that led to the game’s opener, with Nicolo Savona appearing to just about keep the ball in play. Boos rang out from all corners of the City Ground as Casemiro headed his third of the season – as many as any other top-flight midfielder – into the net.

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Manchester United’s Brazilian midfielder #18 Casemiro (L) celebrates scoring (AFP via Getty Images)

Amad had a golden chance to double United’s lead late in the first half, blazing over from a good position, a profligacy that proved costly as away supporters were soon served a heavy dosage of déjà vu.

Amad was no match for Gibbs-White as the United fan headed past Senne Lammens to net Forest’s first league goal since 20 September.

With the crowd lifted, 101 seconds later and the turnaround was complete. United failed to deal with another long ball into the penalty area; it fell for Savona, who earned redemption with a close-range finish.

Capitulations have become such commonplace around Old Trafford that such a turnaround surprised nobody. But there was a surprise in just how United responded.

Amorim explained after the match that he did not make any attacking changes from the bench, again leaving Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee on the sidelines, to maintain continuity.

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Nottingham Forest’s Nicolo Savona celebrates scoring their second goal (Reuters)

During the thrilling encounter, it seemed somewhat churlish to keep the palpably exhausted Matheus Cunha and Sesko out there, but both had golden chances to level. Would Mainoo or Zirkzee, both talented players in their own right, have brought such an impact?

Amad also continued to struggle defensively, but that is the trade-off you get with playing a forward in what is ultimately a defensive position. The upside took your breath away.

It was not quite Paul Scholes at Villa Park or Valley Parade, but it was not far off. It was no more than United, and their ever-improving mentality deserved.