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The Red Devils' poor run of form persisted at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.

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

At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian'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 sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.

Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling 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 match, also fired against a post in the dying moments.

The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best 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 chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, wasted.

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.

Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence 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 poor results earlier in the season.

But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.

He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided 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 natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

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

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

Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety

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

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

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

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

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

Ever so briefly, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

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

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

Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.

The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to achieving their survival.

What Happens Next?

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