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Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-period attempt against the post for the confident hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and slid a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money 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 you would expect Leeds 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 impression, 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 fired against a post in the dying moments.

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

For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick 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 options.

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

But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.

He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for the equaliser almost immediately 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 natural positions, alongside Sesko.

On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.

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

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival

After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.

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

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

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

It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.

For a short moment, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

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

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

Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.

The task is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.

What Happens Next?

Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.