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The Red Devils' poor recent struggles continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager 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-half attempt against the post for the in-form home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a low, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolves 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 through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath rushing Leeds 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 the manager is without several key attacking players due to a combination of injury and international duty.

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

Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is struggling to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.

The goalscorer, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post late on.

The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.

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

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again

With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a swift exit.

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team'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 suffered poor results earlier in the campaign.

But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.

He evidently does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.

On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.

Sesko's failure to turn home the 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 home was a bit drab affair.

True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other encounters.

Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.

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.

For a short moment, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.

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

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

In contrast, he is now masterminding clear progress.

The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting nearer to securing 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 FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also entering their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.