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Manchester United's disappointing run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period effort against the post for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

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

Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee 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 the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.

Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.

The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

Cunha, who had a goal disallowed 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 a significant margin clear of the drop zone.

For the Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

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

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

It's not that the missing pair are the answer 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, Amorim has limited attacking options.

He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward delivered the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a replacement.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.

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

Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival

After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.

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

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

The striker's header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a congested first half.

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

For a short moment, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against Manchester United.

Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.

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

Instead, he is now overseeing significant improvement.

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

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.