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Manchester United's disappointing run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.

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

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

Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath rushing home 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 several key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and international duty.

Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.

Noah Okafor forced a full length 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 six yards out.

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

The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, 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.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

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

Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on Amorim'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 suffered poor results earlier in the season.

But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.

He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.

On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and conviction 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 young striker.

Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival

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

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

The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.

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

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

For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.

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

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

In contrast, he is now overseeing significant improvement.

The job is not done yet but step by step, Leeds 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 domestic 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.