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The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from introduced the Dutchman and slid a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American'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 mix of injury and national team commitments.

Not that Leeds to care about that given their own tight schedule.

The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, 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 match, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.

The point prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest 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 short time, wasted.

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's options.

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, the boss has few alternatives in attack.

He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a replacement.

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

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

Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety

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

True, there were instances of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.

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

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

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

Ever so briefly, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.

However, 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 campaign, many speculated about the manager's future.

Instead, he is now masterminding clear progress.

The job is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer 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 Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.