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Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles 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 their old rivals.

The Everton loanee headed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against opponents who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.

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

The Swiss attacker 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 six yards out.

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

The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin 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 Struggle Again

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

Current injuries to skipper 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 United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered poor results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, the boss has few attacking options.

He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.

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

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction 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: A Further Step Towards Safety

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

True, there were moments of typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other encounters.

Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.

The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a tight 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 rare win against Manchester United.

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

When they endured a poor 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 step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.

Looking Ahead

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