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Manchester United's disappointing run of form persisted at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

With the goal, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American'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 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 visiting 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 disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.

The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.

For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, wasted.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be understood 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 absent players are the solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the season.

But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.

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

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.

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

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety

After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.

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

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

The Calvert-Lewin header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of quality in a tight first half.

It still felt as though the hosts 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.

Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding clear improvement.

The job is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their survival.

What Happens Next?

The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.