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The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half attempt against the post for the confident home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.

Not that the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.

The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.

The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post late on.

The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.

For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.

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

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 suffered poor results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, the boss has few attacking options.

He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly 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 Sesko.

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

His failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival

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

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

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

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

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

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 the manager and the club to deal with.

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

Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.

The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to securing their top-flight status.

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic 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.