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The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.

The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.

With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.

However, against opponents who had two days less to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.

Not that you would expect Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.

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

The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.

The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.

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

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.

Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim's squad.

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

But without them, the boss has few alternatives in attack.

He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.

On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.

Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.

Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival

After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.

True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.

Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.

The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.

It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.

Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.

When they endured a poor run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's position.

In contrast, he is now overseeing significant improvement.

The job is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to achieving their survival.

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.