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Manchester United's poor run of form continued at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against Leeds.

The Everton loanee directed a first-period effort against the post for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from introduced the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American'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 international duty.

Not that Leeds to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.

The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation 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 Misfire Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.

Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim'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 poor results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, the boss has few attacking options.

He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.

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

On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief 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 United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety

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

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

Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.

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

It still felt as though the hosts 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 rare win against Manchester United.

However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.

When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many thought about the manager's position.

Instead, he is now masterminding significant improvement.

The job is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer 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 domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.