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Manchester United's disappointing run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.

The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

With the goal, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against a team who had two days less to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and slid a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth Premier League 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 the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.

The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impact, turned Zirkzee'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 in the dying moments.

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

For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a short time, wasted.

Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.

Current injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim's squad.

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 experienced poor results earlier in the season.

But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.

He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.

On this showing, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous underwhelming signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.

His failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games 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 bit drab affair.

True, there were instances of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.

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

The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of quality in a congested first half.

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

For a short moment, The home delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.

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

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding significant progress.

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

Looking Ahead

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