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Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.

The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish 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 Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had two days less to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath rushing Leeds 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 international duty.

Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.

The Swiss attacker forced a full length 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 close range.

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

The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest 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 the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.

Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers is having on the team'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 suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.

He clearly does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

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

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

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety

After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.

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

Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.

The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality in a tight 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' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.

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

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

Instead, he is now masterminding clear progress.

The task is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting closer to securing their top-flight status.

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club have a Premier League 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 Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.