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Manchester United's poor run of form continued at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more disappointment against Leeds.

The Everton loanee headed a first-period effort against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had less time to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath advancing 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 Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.

Not that you would expect the hosts 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 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 games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.

For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.

Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers is having on the team's options.

It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.

He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands 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 playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.

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

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

Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival

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

True, there were moments of typical 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 advanced areas for any length of time.

The striker's header that clipped the post was an rare moment of quality in a tight first half.

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

For a short moment, Leeds' 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 season, many thought about the manager's future.

Instead, he is now overseeing significant improvement.

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

What Happens Next?

The Yorkshire club have a top-flight 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 Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.