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The Red Devils' disappointing run of form continued at Elland Road, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, Amorim 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, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.

Not that you would expect Leeds to care about that given their own tight schedule.

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

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

The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.

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

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

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

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on the team'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 season.

But without them, the boss has few attacking options.

He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.

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

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.

His failure to turn home the cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.

Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Safety

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

True, there were instances of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.

The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.

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 mistake opened the door for the opener.

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

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

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

Instead, he is now overseeing clear progress.

The job is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to securing their survival.

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.