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Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-period attempt against the post for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid 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 the manager is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.

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

Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, 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, wasted.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

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

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

It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered 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 Dutch forward provided 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 recent outings, 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.

His failure to turn home Zirkzee's 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 last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.

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

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

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

It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.

Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.

However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now overseeing significant improvement.

The task is not completed yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to securing 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 Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.