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Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.

The Everton loanee directed a first-half effort against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had two days less to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.

Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.

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 Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.

The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.

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

Man Utd Analysis: 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 swift exit.

Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.

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 experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.

He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.

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

On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.

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

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety

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

True, there were instances of typical fervor, 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 sustained possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.

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

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

For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.

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

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

Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.

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

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.