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Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.

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

At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

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

Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.

Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, 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 matter of hours, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.

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

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

But without them, the boss has few attacking options.

He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals 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.

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

Leeds Analysis: 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 comparatively subdued affair.

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

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

The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an isolated 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.

For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.

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

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

Instead, he is now masterminding significant improvement.

The job is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their survival.

What Happens Next?

The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.