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The Red Devils' disappointing run of form continued at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against Leeds.

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

With the goal, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

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

It was only the Brazilian'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 combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.

Not that you would expect the hosts 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 United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.

Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.

The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop zone.

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

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach 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 exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim's options.

It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the season.

But without them, the boss has few attacking options.

He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for the equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming 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 new signing.

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety

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

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

Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability 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 threat in a congested first half.

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

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

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

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

Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.

The job is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to achieving their top-flight status.

What Happens Next?

The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA 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.