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Manchester United's poor run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and national team commitments.

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

Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

The point prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points 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 short time, squandered.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, 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 heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers 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 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 Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.

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

On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.

His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.

Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival

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 instances of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.

Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.

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

It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a defensive error 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.

However, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.

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

Instead, he is now overseeing significant progress.

The task is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to securing their survival.

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. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.