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

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

At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to 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 big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.

Not that Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.

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

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

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

For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.

Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team's options.

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 suffered poor results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.

He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a substitute.

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 showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.

Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety

After thrilling 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 typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous encounters.

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

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 struggling 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 Manchester United.

Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.

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

Instead, he is now masterminding significant improvement.

The job is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds 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 FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.