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The Red Devils' poor run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more damage against Leeds.

The Everton loanee headed a first-half effort against the post for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a pass from substitute the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath rushing home 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 four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.

Not that Leeds to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.

The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned his teammate'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 prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, 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 matter of hours, wasted.

Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.

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

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

But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.

He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in five games, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

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

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

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Survival

After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.

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

The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained 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 tight first half.

It still felt as though Leeds 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 rare win against Manchester United.

Nevertheless, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and Leeds to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.

The task is not done yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.

What Happens Next?

Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.