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The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period effort against the post for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had two days less to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a finish underneath rushing Leeds 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 Leeds to sympathise with 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 the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.

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

The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.

For the Manchester United 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 AFCON reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.

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

But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.

He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction 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 Analysis: A Further Step Towards Survival

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

True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.

The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any length of time.

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

It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a mistake opened the door for Aaronson.

For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

Nevertheless, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.

When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's future.

In contrast, he is now overseeing significant progress.

The job is not completed yet but step by step, the team are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.

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 league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.