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Manchester United's disappointing recent struggles persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, the United boss was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.

Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.

Noah Okafor 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 struggling to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.

The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post in the dying moments.

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

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

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.

Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's options.

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

But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.

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

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.

On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.

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

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety

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

True, there were instances of typical atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in previous fixtures.

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

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

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

Ever so briefly, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

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

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.

The job is not completed 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 FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.