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Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee headed a first-half effort against the post for the confident home team before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

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

However, against a team who had two days less to recover, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.

Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own tight schedule.

Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

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

For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.

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

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

But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.

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

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in five games, 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 confidence 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 United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety

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

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

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

The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of threat 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, Leeds' ecstatic 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 the club 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 clear improvement.

The job is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to securing their survival.

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 Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.