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Manchester United's disappointing run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach 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-half attempt against the post 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 Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had less time to recover, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath advancing home 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 fitness issues and international duty.

Not that you would expect Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.

Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, 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 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 opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, wasted.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a swift exit.

Existing injuries to captain 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 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 alternatives in attack.

He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.

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

On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.

Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival

After memorable victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.

True, there were instances of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.

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

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 struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.

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

However, 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 speculated about the manager's future.

In contrast, he is now overseeing significant improvement.

The task is not completed yet but step by step, the team 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 entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.