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Manchester United's disappointing run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-period effort against the post for the confident hosts before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a low, 62nd-minute shot.

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

Nevertheless, against a team who had two days less to prepare, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a pass from substitute Joshua Zirkzee 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 Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.

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

The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post in the dying moments.

The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the drop zone.

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

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim 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 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 few alternatives in attack.

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

That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this evidence, the big-money frontman looks similar to previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction 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: Another Step Towards Survival

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

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

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

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 the opener.

Ever so briefly, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.

However, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.

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

Instead, he is now masterminding clear improvement.

The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.

What Happens Next?

The Yorkshire club 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 Turf Moor before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.