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The Red Devils' disappointing run of form continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the in-form home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to recover, the forward levelled 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 high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury 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 audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impact, 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 late on.

The point prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.

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

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.

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

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

But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.

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

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, 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 confidence 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 United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety

After memorable victories in their previous 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 pronounced as in previous fixtures.

The home fans were more preoccupied 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 rare moment of threat in a tight first half.

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

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

However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and Leeds to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now overseeing clear improvement.

The task is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their survival.

What Happens Next?

Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.