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Manchester United's poor recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but manager the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the post for the confident home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his big-money 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 Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.

The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.

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

The draw extends 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 Manchester United though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations 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 England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other forwards is having on the team'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 disappointing results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, Amorim has few alternatives in attack.

He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.

That leaves the Brazilian, 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 struggling signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.

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

Leeds United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival

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

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

The home fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.

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

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

Ever so briefly, 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 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 overseeing clear improvement.

The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their survival.

Looking Ahead

Leeds have a Premier League 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 Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.