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Manchester United's poor run of form persisted at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.

The Everton loanee directed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.

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

Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from introduced the Dutchman and slid a finish underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.

Not that Leeds to care about that given their own tight schedule.

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

The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the contest, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.

The point extends 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 visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its latter stages, 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 missing pair are the answer to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the season.

But without them, Amorim has limited alternatives in attack.

He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.

That leaves Cunha, 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 belief 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 United Breakdown: A Further Step Towards Survival

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

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

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

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

It still felt as though Leeds were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.

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

Nevertheless, there is a wider context for the manager and Leeds to deal with.

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

In contrast, he is now overseeing clear improvement.

The job is not completed yet but gradually, the team are getting closer to securing their top-flight status.

Looking Ahead

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 league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.