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

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute effort.

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

Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish 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 Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and international duty.

Not that you would expect Leeds to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.

The Swiss attacker forced a full length 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 impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

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

The point extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.

For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.

Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim'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 experienced poor results earlier in the season.

But without them, Amorim has limited attacking options.

He evidently 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 the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence 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 Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety

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

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

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

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

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

Ever so briefly, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.

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

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

Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.

The task is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their survival.

What Happens Next?

Leeds have a top-flight trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.