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Manchester United's disappointing run of form continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee headed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

With the goal, 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 opponents who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and guided a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and international duty.

Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.

Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United 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 close range.

Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.

The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, 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 the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, squandered.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

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

Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers 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 suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.

He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the through ball for the 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 playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

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

His 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 memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.

True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.

The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's struggle to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.

The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality 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.

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

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

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

Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.

The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their top-flight status.

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.