Matheus Cunha Strikes to Earn Manchester United a Draw at Leeds.

The Red Devils' disappointing run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee headed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

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

Not that Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.

Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from close range.

Cunha, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post in the dying moments.

The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.

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

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

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

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

It's not that the absent players are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered poor results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, the boss has few attacking options.

He evidently does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.

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

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than 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 young striker.

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival

After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.

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

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 clipped the post was an isolated moment of threat in a tight first half.

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

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

However, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.

The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to achieving their survival.

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.