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The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.

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

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

However, against opponents who had less time to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and slid a finish 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 the manager is without several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.

Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.

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

Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.

The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.

For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, 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 skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's options.

It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.

He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally 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 underwhelming 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 memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.

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

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

The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested 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, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.

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

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.

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

What Happens Next?

The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.