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The Red Devils' poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee headed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had two days less to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.

Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.

Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.

The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.

The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.

For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.

Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers is having on Amorim's squad.

It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.

He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.

His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival

After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.

True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other encounters.

The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.

The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a congested first half.

It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.

Ever so briefly, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.

When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.

In contrast, he is now overseeing clear improvement.

The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.