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

The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the woodwork for the in-form home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.

With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by struggling Wolves at home earlier in the week.

However, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath rushing 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 combination of injury and national team commitments.

Not that you would expect the hosts 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 visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin 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, 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 skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers is having on Amorim's squad.

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, Amorim has few attacking options.

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

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

On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.

Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.

Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety

After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.

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

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

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

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

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

Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager 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 task is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their survival.

What Happens Next?

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 Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.