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Manchester United's poor recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-period attempt against the post for the confident home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth Premier League 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 tight schedule.

The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting 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 his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.

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

The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.

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

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.

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

It's not that the missing pair 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 season.

But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.

He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.

On this showing, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance 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 memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.

True, there were moments of typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.

The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.

The Calvert-Lewin header that struck 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 mistake opened the door for Aaronson.

For a short moment, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

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 progress.

The job is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.

What Happens Next?

Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.