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The Red Devils' poor run of form continued at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee headed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

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

It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues 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 full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

The point prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.

For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.

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

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 poor 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 Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

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

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

Leeds United Breakdown: Another 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 typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.

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

The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality 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, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and Leeds to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now overseeing clear improvement.

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

What Happens Next?

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