Pablo Hernandez scored his ninth goal of the season in Leeds' draw with Sunderland
Sunderland squandered a second-half lead at Leeds and slipped closer to a second consecutive relegation.
Pablo Hernandez curled in a superb leveller to deny Sunderland a second away win in a row and leave the Black Cats seven points from safety.
Sunderland had gone 1-0 up with Paddy McNair's angled half-volley.
Both sides also hit the woodwork twice in an eventful game, while Leeds' Gaetano Berardi was sent off late on for a foul on Callum McManaman.
The full-back's dismissal stunted Leeds' momentum as they pushed strongly for a winning goal, and they could have been beaten but for Bailey Peacock-Farrell's save to deny McManaman a stoppage-time winner.
Both sides went close in a goalless first half, with Sunderland goalkeeper Lee Camp pushing Ronaldo Vieira's shot onto the post and Ashley Fletcher heading against the crossbar for the visitors.
George Honeyman almost extended Sunderland's lead after McNair's opener, but the young midfielder hit the upright and Aiden McGeady's follow-up was cleared.
And, after a ninth goal of the season for Spanish midfielder Hernandez, Leeds struck the post again with a free-kick from Samu Saiz.
Sunderland will be relegated if they lose three of their five remaining matches, with their final two league games of the campaign coming against third-placed Fulham and leaders Wolves.
Leeds United boss Paul Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Leeds:
"We started well, which was pleasing, and we were on top. We got in some great opportunities in the first half. We looked threatening, but without really saying, 'We should have scored there.'
"It was always in the back of my mind that whatever point we made a change, we were going to have to really open the game up. With the bench that we had and the players we had available - whatever change we made, we were going to be made defensively weaker, so it was important we made ourselves better attacking-wise.
"As soon as Sunderland got the first goal, we needed to be better attacking. So we made the change, took the risk and the game really could have opened up. Then it could have gone either way."
Sunderland boss Chris Coleman said:
"A point is not enough. A point was never going to be enough for us today. We needed the three with the position we are in. The performance was more than enough, it was good.
"Normally you come to Elland Road and are happy to get a point because it is such a tough place to come. We need to win five games of football, simple as that, and we have won only six all season so we are right up against it.
"It's a big ask, a tall order, but it's not impossible. I wouldn't put money on us, but we have got to keep performing like that. Whether we run out of games, we haven't yet. We cannot throw in the towel yet."
