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The Red Devils' disappointing run of form continued at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

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

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

Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling 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 match, also fired against a post late on.

The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin 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, wasted.

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.

Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's options.

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

But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.

He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

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

Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run 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 biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.

True, there were instances of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.

The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any length of time.

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

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

Ever so briefly, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.

However, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now overseeing clear improvement.

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

What Happens Next?

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