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The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against opponents who had less time to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from substitute the Dutchman and slid a finish underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth goal since his high-profile 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 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 spectacular 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.

The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.

The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, 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, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team's squad.

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 limited alternatives in attack.

He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.

On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and assurance in front of goal.

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

Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety

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

True, there were moments of expected atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as evident as in other encounters.

The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability 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 tight first half.

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

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

Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.

When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.

Instead, he is now overseeing clear progress.

The job is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to securing their survival.

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.