Amad Diallo lashed home a thunderous 81st-minute volley to earn Manchester United a point in a thrilling Premier League encounter with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

The visitors thought they were heading for a fourth straight win and second spot in the table after Casemiro headed them into a half-time lead from a corner Forest were convinced should not have been awarded.

But the game turned on its head in the space of two second-half minutes as Forest skipper Morgan Gibbs-White outmuscled Amad to reach Ryan Yates’ deep cross from the right.

From their next attack, Forest scored again. Once more they created problems for United with a cross from the right as Nicolo Savona reacted fastest when Igor Jesus’ header bounced off bodies into the six-yard box, keeping his composure to beat United keeper Senne Lammens.

But, in addition to improving their actual play, Ruben Amorim’s United also seem to have got stronger mentally and, rather than crumble to defeat, they fought their way back into the game.

Bruno Fernandes struck the base of a post before Amad brilliantly latched on to a looping clearance just outside the area and volleyed first time past Matz Sels.

Amad might have won it but deep into stoppage time his shot was cleared off the line by Murillo.

Seven days ago one of the central midfielders heavily linked with a move to United – Brighton’s Carlos Baleba – failed to shine at Old Trafford.

Forest’s Elliot Anderson is another, but he did much better against Amorim’s team.

Anderson played with an energy Baleba lacked. He was aware of danger, nipping in to seize possession from Matheus Cunha close to his own area midway through the first half, and was not worried about chasing down lost causes, as he did to retrieve a ball that seemed certain to roll over the line in front of the home dugout.

Anderson picked his moments to push forward and would have been in a shooting position close to goal had he been able to control Callum Hudson-Odoi’s short pass on the edge of the area just before half-time.

Anderson was also involved in Forest’s equaliser, helping to ferry the ball to the right, where Yates floated it in for Gibbs-White to head home.

Once Forest were in front Anderson worked tirelessly to keep United at bay.

The way he maintained his discipline – with and without the ball – to not stray out of position was impressive, and he was not scared of a tactical foul as he brought down Fernandes late in the game close to the halfway line as the visiting captain threatened a dangerous counter-attack.

Anderson might have won it at the end. His shot was on target before it hit Luke Shaw and flashed wide.

One of Amorim’s bolder decisions in his year in the job has been to trust Amad as a wing-back.

Whereas Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho were deemed unsuitable for the role, Amorim has trusted the Ivory Coast international, believing he was willing to do the less glamorous parts of the job, namely defending and tracking back.

The move has reduced Amad’s effectiveness in attack, but it has earned him a place in the team – and on his preferred right side, where his partnership with Bryan Mbeumo has been one of the most notable aspects of United’s recent improvement.

There were the good and bad aspects of that here.

A natural defender would surely have presented more of a physical threat for Gibbs-White. The Forest skipper is hardly a striking powerhouse, but he was far too strong in the battle to reach Yates' cross and the space he had was enough to allow him to score.

The goal was crucial as It changed the shape of the game.

But then, as it was drifting away from United, Amad struck with a superb volley few on the pitch could have executed – certainly not Patrick Dorgu or Diogo Dalot, his rivals for the wing-back role.

It seems as though Amorim and United will have to live with the good and bad of Amad for now.

What comes next?

Forest visit Sturm Graz in the Europa League on Thursday at 17:45 GMT, followed by a home game against Leeds United in the Premier League on 9 November at 14:00.

United’s next game is at Tottenham in the league on 8 November at 12:30 GMT. (BBC)