Cunha Strikes to Snatch Man Utd a Point at Leeds.

The Red Devils' poor run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against Leeds.

The Everton loanee directed a first-period effort against the post for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.

At that stage, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had been held by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.

Nevertheless, against opponents who had less time to prepare, Cunha levelled three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from introduced Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath advancing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when the manager is without several key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and national team commitments.

Not that you would expect the hosts to sympathise with that given their own tight schedule.

The Swiss attacker forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular 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 six yards out.

Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.

The point prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the drop 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: The Manager's Side Misfire Again

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

Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the unavailability of other attackers 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 clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a substitute.

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

On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.

Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the young striker.

Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival

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

True, there were moments of expected fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.

Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any length of time.

The striker's header that clipped the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.

It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for the opener.

For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.

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

When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.

Instead, he is now masterminding significant improvement.

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

What Happens Next?

The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Turf Moor before also entering their FA Cup journey with a home tie.