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Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.

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

With the goal, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against opponents who had less time to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth 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 injury and international duty.

Not that you would expect 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 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 match, also fired against a post in the dying moments.

The draw extends Leeds' 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 fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

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

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened 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 United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.

He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance 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 Analysis: Another 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 expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.

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

The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a congested first half.

It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.

Ever so briefly, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

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

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding clear progress.

The job is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.

What Happens Next?

The Yorkshire club 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.