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Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from introduced the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath rushing 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 the manager is without several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.

Not that Leeds to care about that given their own tight schedule.

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

Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.

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

For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, wasted.

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

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

Existing 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 absent players 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 season.

But without them, the boss has few attacking options.

He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.

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

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

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

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival

After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.

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

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

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

It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a mistake 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.

However, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now overseeing significant progress.

The job is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.

What Happens Next?

Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle 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 Old Trafford tie.